Independence Day

Avinatan Or, Alon Ohel, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal were treated at the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus when they were first freed from Hamas captivity.

President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar co-hosted the annual Independence Day reception at the President’s Residence.

Eli Sharabi, who survived Hamas captivity, shares his emotional journey after the October 7 massacre, revealing how Independence Day now holds deeper meaning as he honors his murdered family.

The event was held at the Jerusalem Theater and recorded in advance due to the security situation, and gathered 16 outstanding young men and women from seven countries.

Malespin honored Israel’s 170 fallen soldiers over the past year, including Staff Sergeant Daniel Hamo, a fighter and paratrooper from Tiberias who fell in Gaza.

In honor of the 78th Independence Day of the State of Israel, Mira Eitan raises a glass to the local wineries, breweries, and distilleries that turn local produce into a symbol of hope.

Officials said the decision to pre-record the event was made in light of the ongoing ceasefire and the broader security situation, with attendance limited to the soldiers’ families.

"It’s about reclaiming our right to exist in the world despite everything that they tried to take from us. Dancing becomes an act of defiance, a way of refusing to let the darkness win."

As Israel celebrates its Independence Day, Danyelle Neuman, Chief Development Officer of the Jewish Agency, reflects on the organization's critical role in times of crisis.

Several incidents across central Israel, including stabbings and a residential fire, left multiple people wounded, some critically, during Independence Day celebrations.