Israel marked its annual day of remembrance for fallen troops and slain civilians on Wednesday, with the country standing to attention for two minutes while sirens wailed. Yom Hazikaron - or Memorial Day - is held the day before Israel's independence day, linking the sacrifice of soldiers with the creation and protection of the state. Under law all places of entertainment, including cinemas, theatres and nightclubs are closed during the sombre day, and many Israelis attend memorial services for relatives and friends who have died in conflict. An woman places a red rose at a commemorative plaque honouring fallen soldiers during a Memorial Day ceremony in Latrun, on April 22 . Soldier salute and visitors stand still at the Mount Herzel military cemetery in Jerusalem during a nationwide two-minute silence at 11am . Traffic stopped and Israelis stood still by their cars in Tel Aviv when a siren marking a two-minute silence for Memorial Day is sounded . A sombre driver pulls over to pay his respects (left) while an Israeli child carrying a red rose passes a tank on his way to the Armored Corps Memorial. Across the country Israelis remember the 23,320 people who died 'fighting for the national cause' since 1860 . Shoppers stand to attention and service stops during the two-minute silence in Jerusalem on Yom Hazikaron, held on Wednesday this year . A soldier stands still in the middle of a shopping street. Theatres and cinemas are closed by law on the memorial day across Israel . The sirens marking the start of two-minute silences are sounded twice - once at 8pm on the eve of Yom Harikaron, and a second at 11am . Nurit, the sister of IDF Sergeant Albert Dahan, is pictured visiting his grave in the Mount Herzi Military Cemetery in Jerusalem . An Israeli soldier looks at the wall of names of fallen soldiers, at the Armored Corps memorial. Civilians killed in conflict are also remembered . By the Armoured Corps memorial in Latrun, near Jerusalem, Israeli soldiers remember their comrades in arms who have lost their lives in war . Wreaths are laid at the war memorial. Remembrance ceremonies started at sunset on Tuesday and last until nightfall on Wednesday . Schoolchildren from Belgium sit on a tank as an Israeli soldier gives a brief history of the country's wars, near the Armored Corps memorial . In recent years the remembrance day has been expanded beyond commemorating those soldiers killed defending Israel, but also security personnel who died protecting the state from terrorist attacks. According to the Israeli ministry of defence, 116 security force personnel have been killed in the line of duty, over the past year alone. In total, Israel remembers 23,320 fallen since 1860 in fighting for the national cause. On television, one of the state channels screens the names of all the deceased in chronological order over the course of the day. That year, 1860, is when Israel considers to be the start of the conflict with the Palestinians when Jews founded the first neighbourhood outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. In addition, 2,538 civilians have been killed in political violence since 1950, including 122 foreign visitors, according to National Insurance Institute figures. Remembrance ceremonies began at sunset on Tuesday and continue until nightfall on Wednesday when the sombre mood gives way to raucous celebrations marking 67 years since the declaration of the Israeli state on May 14, 1948. Israeli soldiers attend a ceremony marking the start of Israel's memorial day, which started at sunset on Tuesday until Wednesday at nightfall . Israeli Defense Minister Moshe 'Bogie' Ya'alon visits the military graveyard in Tel Aviv the day before Yom Ha'atzmaut, or Independence Day . This year Israel will mark 67 years since the declaration of the state, but the celebrations are preceded by a national day of mourning . Visitors pay their respects to fallen service personnel at a military graveyard in Tel Aviv. 116 people have died serving Israel in the past year . Young and old remembered the sacrifice of the country's war dead, with many families visiting graveyards to tend to dead's final resting place . A young army recruit reflects in a graveyard in Tel Aviv. Throughout the day TV channels features the names of those killed in conflict . The date is marked according to the Jewish calendar and this year it falls on April 22. There are two memorial walls on Mount Herzl -- one bearing the names of fallen soldiers and the other those of civilian victims. New figures released ahead of Independence Day by the Central Bureau of Statistics showed Israel's population now stands at 8,345,000. Of that number, 6,251,000 or 74.9 percent are Jews and 1,730,000 or 20.7 percent are Arabs. The remaining 340,000 listed as 'other' comprise non-Arab Christians, members of other religions and those unclassified in the population register. The figures include around 310,000 Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move not recognised by the international community. A member of the military visits a grave in Tel Aviv. The memorial day also remembers people killed from terrorist attacks in israel . Israeli scouts light torches during a Memorial Day ceremony at the Mount Herzel military cemetery in Jerusalem on the eve of Yom Hazikaron .
Yom Hazikaron, held this year on April 22, is Israel's official Memorial Day traditionally dedicated to fallen soldiers . Sirens blasted across the country at 11am marking a two-minute silence for people to pray and pay their respects . Shoppers, drivers, classrooms and workplaces all come to standstill during emotional remembrance day .