Thousands of people converged on southern Israel on Tuesday to mourn the dead as the nation marked two years since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack plunged the region into a devastating war.
Families and friends of the October 7 victims visited the site of the Nova music festival, where 400 revelers were killed and dozens taken hostage by Hamas.
There was no official ceremony at the Nova site in the border community of Reim, due to the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which coincides with the anniversary.
Nonetheless, people at the site shared memories of relatives and friends who were killed, weaving through hundreds of photos encircling the spot where DJ booth stood.
At 6:29 a.m., the exact time the attack began, the music; the same track that revelers were listening to at the time, stopped for a moment of silence.
The main memorial is being organized by the bereaved families, separate from a ceremony the government will hold on the anniversary next week according to the Hebrew calendar.
The split reflects deep divisions over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’s leadership, which many blame for the failure to secure a ceasefire that would free the remaining hostages held by the militants.
United Nations Chief, Antonio Guterres renewed his plea for the “immediate” and “unconditional” release of hostages held in Gaza in a statement released to mark two years since Hamas’ October 7 attack. He noted, “The horror of that dark day will be forever seared in the memories of us all.”
Guterres stated that he had heard first-hand the “unbearable pain” of survivors and the families of captives held in Gaza and condemned the “deplorable conditions,” urging Israel and Hamas to seize the opportunity to end hostilities as talks continued on Tuesday negotiating US President Donald Trump’s peace plan. “After two years of trauma, we must choose hope. Now,” he said.
European Leaders Mark Anniversary Of October 7 Attack
Germany marked the two-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks with sombre commemorations across the country and official flags pulled to half mast.
In a video address, German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz called for the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas, including German citizens, and expressed hope for the peace process.
He referred to the Hamas attack as a “black day” in the history books of the Jewish people.
Merz, a staunch but increasingly critical supporter of Israel, warned against the rise of antisemitism in Germany “in old and new guises … on social media, at the universities, on our streets – ever louder, ever more shameless and increasingly also in the form of violence.”
Merz said that Germany was experiencing a new wave of antisemitism since October 7, 2023.
“It fills me with shame as Chancellor, as a German, as part of the post-war generation that grew up with the promise: ‘Never again.’”
Friedrich Merz
He called on Germans to show their solidarity with Jews. “Go to our Jewish citizens today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, wherever you can,” he said.
“Let us all show that we stand by their side. And that together we will do everything we can to ensure that Jews here in Germany can live without fear, that they can live with confidence.”
Friedrich Merz
Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson also called the October 7 attack “the worst mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust.”
Italian Premier, Giorgio Meloni called the attack “one of the darkest pages in history,’’ setting off “an unprecedented crisis in the Middle East.”
She also repeated that Israel’s response was “beyond any principal of proportionality, causing too many innocent victims among the civilian population of Gaza.”
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