Israel's Remembrance Day: 59 IDF soldiers have fallen in past year

4,255 civilians have been murdered in terrorist attacks since 1851.

The Defense Ministry conducted cleaning and maintenance work at the graves of IDF soldiers ahead of Memorial Day 2023 (photo credit: DEFENSE MINISTRY)
The Defense Ministry conducted cleaning and maintenance work at the graves of IDF soldiers ahead of Memorial Day 2023
(photo credit: DEFENSE MINISTRY)

Fifty-nine IDF soldiers have fallen in defense of the State of Israel since last Remembrance Day, bringing the total number of soldiers killed since 1860 to 24,213, the Defense Ministry announced Friday as Israel prepares to mark Remembrance Day next week.

Additionally, 86 soldiers who were recognized as disabled veterans passed away due to their injuries in the past year.

The Defense Ministry additionally announced that it has completed preparations at 52 cemeteries and thousands of graves for Remembrance Day ceremonies. The preparations include renovations, maintenance work, cleaning, gardening and fixing broken or old gravestones.

4,255 civilians murdered in terrorist attacks since 1851

According to the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi), 4,255 civilians have been murdered in terrorist attacks since 1851. Since last Remembrance Day, 31 civilians were murdered in terrorist attacks, including two civilians who were injured in past years and passed away due to their wounds in the last year.

3,420 Israelis were orphaned by terrorist attacks since 1851, including 118 who lost both their parents, 800 widows, 851 parents who lost children and 250 families who lost more than one family member.

The Defense Ministry conducted maintenance and cleaning work at military graves across Israel ahead of Memorial Day. (Credit: Defense Ministry)

The National Insurance Institute memorializes civilians murdered in terrorist attacks on the "La'Ad" website, which lists the victims of the attacks along with the stories of their lives and their place of burial. A virtual candle can be lit in their memory on the website and shared on Facebook.