"A dark year": displaced Gazans reflect on anniversary of October 7: Video
As families gathered in southern Israel to light candles at a memorial service for the first anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attacks, the sounds of helicopters and artillery fire from nearby Gaza served as a stark reminder of the violence that unfolded a year ago.
The Hamas assault resulted in 1,205 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, as militants overran communities and a music festival, leading to the abduction of 251 individuals, with 97 still held captive in Gaza.
President Isaac Herzog opened the commemoration with a moment of silence at 6:29 a.m., marking the time when the attack began with thousands of rockets launched from Gaza. "October 7, 2023, is a day that should be remembered in infamy," he said, describing the assault as a "scar on humanity."
At Kibbutz Reim, where at least 370 festival-goers were killed, families wore T-shirts with the faces of the missing and honoured their loved ones with photographs, AFP reported.
While memorials were held, the Israeli military reported at least four rockets fired from Gaza amid ongoing retaliatory operations that have claimed over 41,900 lives in the territory since the conflict reignited. Tensions also escalated along the northern border with Lebanon, where clashes with Hezbollah have continued.
