This coming October, the first Race of Hope 2026 will take place, an event combining sports, commemoration, and the strengthening of communities in the Gaza border area. The run will be held on Friday, October 16, and is organized by the Gaza Border Runners and the Marathon Israel company, in cooperation with the Eshkol and Sha'ar Hanegev regional councils and the Tekuma Directorate, and under the sponsorship of Harel Insurance and Finance.
Unlike standard races, the routes were selected to pass through points of special significance since the events of October 7. Participants will be able to choose from tracks ranging from a 3-kilometer family route to a half-marathon, passing through memorial sites, including the Nova festival memorial site at Re'im, alongside communities undergoing rehabilitation and fields that have returned to bloom.
Exhibits designed to connect memory with the process of renewal will be placed along the route. Among other displays, an exhibit titled Frozen Time, referencing the time 06:29, will be set up at the starting line area, along with an avenue of flags representing the countries of origin of those murdered in the October 7 events.
One of the initiative's organizers is Aya Meydan, a member of Kibbutz Be'eri whose community is still residing temporarily in Hatzerim. "Seeing thousands of runners arrive on the land where our tragedy occurred restores our confidence and hope," she said. "The message is that despite everything, we are here."
The event will conclude with a community festival featuring a farmers' market with agricultural produce from the Gaza border region, alongside performances by local artists, as part of the desire to strengthen local businesses and communities and encourage visitors to arrive even after the race.