Commemorations of the first anniversary of Hamas’s deadly October 7 attack began in Israel on Monday, with emotional vigils at massacre sites and rallies urging the return of hostages.
Ceremonies and events are scheduled across Israel and in cities worldwide to observe the unprecedented attack by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the loss of 1,205 lives.
President Isaac Herzog began the day with a moment of silence at 6:29 am, the exact time the attack commenced, at Kibbutz Reim, the site of the Nova music festival where heavily armed Hamas fighters killed at least 370 people.
Families of the victims attended the memorial, with many expressing their grief and demanding the return of their loved ones, displaying banners and placards bearing their pictures.
On Sunday, tens of thousands of people participated in events in cities worldwide; some organised to honour the victims of Hamas’ attack and others to show support for the Palestinian people following a year of conflict in the Gaza Strip.
The anniversary coincides with Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and a new conflict to the north in Lebanon against Hamas ally Hezbollah. Israel is also preparing to retaliate against Tehran following an Iranian missile attack last week, raising concerns of a full-scale regional war.
The Israeli army reported on Monday that at least four projectiles were fired from Gaza just minutes after the commemorations began, stating that it had “struck Hamas launch posts and underground terrorist infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip.”
Hamas’s armed wing announced in a statement that its fighters had launched rockets at “enemy gatherings” at Rafah crossing, Kerem Shalom crossing, and Kibbutz Holit near the border with Gaza.
Thus far, Israeli forces have killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children.