DEERFIELD, Ill. (WLS) — Members of the Jewish community in the Chicago area gathered Wednesday to mark three years since the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, honoring those killed and taken hostage while reflecting on a conflict that continues to reverberate across Israel and Gaza.

“Tonight, the question is not only what we remember. The question is what we do with what we remember,” a rabbi told those gathered.

The Oct. 7 anniversary marks three years since a Hamas-led attack killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel. More than 250 people were taken hostage.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Yossi Held, executive director of StandWithUs Midwest, described the attack as “[It] is the most tragic, horrific day that occurred following the Holocaust.”

“It’s a day of remembrance. It’s a day of vigilance. But, it’s also a day of hope,” Held said.

At a Deerfield synagogue, the anniversary was marked with an exhibit titled Unbroken: Israeli Sports in Times of War. The exhibit shares personal stories of Israeli athletes and sports fans affected by the attack and the war that followed.

“We come together as a community to memorialize what happened, but to tell everybody we are here,” said Alison Pure-Slovin, Midwest region director for the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

The war has left the Gaza Strip in ruins, with the death toll there surpassing 74,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

“History did not begin on October 7th, 2023,” said Muhammad Sankari of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.

“There’s still daily attacks killing Palestinian civilians. There’s thousands of Palestinians who have been abducted that are wallowing in Israeli jails, right now, including doctors and nurses,” Sankari said.

A ceasefire took effect nearly a year ago, but Israeli strikes have continued. The Israel Defense Forces says the strikes are responses to threats and attacks.

“We’re not over yet. Hamas is not eliminated. Iran can still threaten Israel, but we have degraded their ability. We have weakened them,” said Elad Strohmayer, Israel’s consul general to the Midwest.

Meanwhile, a U.S.-brokered ceasefire remains largely stalled. Israeli forces now control more than half of the territory, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will not withdraw troops until Hamas disarms.

For those who gathered in Deerfield, the anniversary served as a day of remembrance as the conflict and its toll continue.

Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.