Israel Day parade in NYC will draw thousands, and tight security. What to know if you go

Israel Day parade in NYC will draw thousands, and tight security. What to know if you go.

As many as 40,000 people are expected to gather in Manhattan on Sunday for the annual Israel Day on Fifth parade, which will unfold under tight security this year amid the tensions of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Held since 1964, the parade bills itself as the world's largest gathering in support of the Jewish State. It typically features music, marching bands and a festival-like vibe. But this year, the event will have a more somber mood, following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel in which Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages.

Israel's military response in Gaza has sparked intense criticism of the country as well. The New York City Police Department on Friday said that security would be stepped up Sunday as a precaution. It said the event could draw protests as well.