Israel is commemorating the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack that sparked the Gaza war and escalated tensions across the region, including in Lebanon. President Isaac Herzog will lead a memorial service in Sderot, one of the cities hardest hit by the Palestinian militant assault.
A rally calling for a ceasefire in Gaza will take place at Beeri, a kibbutz where more than 100 people were killed during the attack. Another memorial is planned at Kibbutz Reim, the site of the Nova music festival where militants massacred hundreds.
In Tel Aviv, families of hostages still held in Gaza will stage a demonstration to demand their release. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected to address the nation on Monday, though details of the official anniversary events remain unclear.
In a statement issued ahead of the anniversary, Herzog said, “Our wounds cannot fully heal because they are ongoing. Hostages are still being tortured, executed, and dying in captivity. In many senses, we are all still living in the aftermath of October 7.”
On October 7 last year, Hamas militants crossed into Israel from Gaza, launching the deadliest attack in the nation’s history by land, air, and sea. According to official Israeli figures, 1,205 people, mostly civilians, were killed. Militants abducted 251 hostages, 97 of whom remain in captivity, with 33 reported dead.
The Israeli military responded swiftly, launching a military campaign aimed at destroying Hamas. The war has since devastated Gaza, displacing millions of residents, and intensifying the humanitarian crisis. According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 41,825 people have been killed, the majority civilians. These figures have been confirmed by the United Nations.
The conflict has also spread to Israel’s northern border, where Iran-backed Hezbollah began firing rockets from Lebanon. More than 60,000 people have been displaced in Israel due to the escalating cross-border conflict. Israeli airstrikes have targeted Hezbollah positions, killing key commanders, including leader Hassan Nasrallah in a massive air raid on Beirut.
The situation worsened when Iran launched a missile barrage at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Nasrallah and former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. With tensions running high, Iran and the international community are bracing for potential Israeli retaliation following the missile attack.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed that “the resistance in the region will not back down” in a sermon on Friday, signaling the conflict’s potential to escalate further.
