Israel commemorated the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, with ceremonies and protests across the country. The attack killed 1,200 people, took 250 hostages, and sparked a war that has displaced millions and risks igniting a broader Middle East conflict.
As Israelis honored the victims, Hamas fired rockets at Tel Aviv, and Hezbollah launched attacks on Haifa, wounding at least 10 people. Israeli forces continued pounding southern Beirut, and a ground operation was launched in southern Lebanon.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot attended a memorial ceremony in southern Israel, while French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas noted that Israelis have become desensitized to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where over 42,000 Palestinians have been killed. “It’s a war of revenge… Any other country would’ve done the same thing,” Pinkas said.
Vigils and protests were held globally, including in Australia, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned Hamas’s attack.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the international community to pressure Israel to accept a ceasefire. Hezbollah deemed the conflict an “open-ended battle of reckoning.“
Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated, “The world must support Israel in its battle against its enemies to bring peace.” Demonstrators in Israel called for Netanyahu to negotiate a deal to release captives held in Gaza.
The conflict has destabilized the Middle East, with widespread international condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
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