At exactly 6:29 a.m., the precise moment the October 7 massacre began three years ago, the Israeli Navy gathered at Zikim Beach to mark the anniversary with a solemn act of remembrance. Sailors lowered an anchor into the sea in honor of those who fell defending the coastline during the 2023 attack, a quiet tribute set against the same stretch of shoreline where Israeli naval forces fought to repel Hamas militants attempting to land by boat. The ceremony was led by Israeli Navy Commander Vice Admiral Eyal Harel, with senior Navy commanders standing alongside sailors as the anchor sank beneath the waves.

Zikim Beach holds particular weight for the Navy, as it was there, on the morning of October 7, 2023, that naval forces detected a seaborne infiltration and engaged Hamas boats and divers attempting to come ashore, ultimately helping prevent a larger breach even as militants who slipped through carried out a deadly attack on the beach and nearby kibbutz. This week's ceremony falls alongside a broader series of memorials held across Israel marking three years since the attacks, with military ceremonies and moments of silence held at bases nationwide at 6:29 a.m., the hour the assault began. For the Navy specifically, the anchor lowered into the sea stands as a lasting symbol, honoring the sailors and fighters who gave their lives in the waters and on the sand at Zikim.