World leaders have paid tribute to the victims of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, marking three years since the assault that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken hostage.
Messages from leaders across Europe focused on remembering those killed, condemning antisemitism and terrorism, and expressing support for efforts to achieve lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The anniversary comes as Israel holds commemorations for the attack and as the region remains shaped by the war that followed.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the October 7 attack as a “profound rupture” and said Germany was remembering the victims and sharing the pain of their families. “We commemorate the victims, we share their pain,” Merz said, while calling for antisemitism to be confronted with “even greater resolve.”
In a statement marking the anniversary, Merz also reaffirmed Germany’s support for Israel’s security and said the country’s government would work toward a new regional order in which Israelis, Palestinians and their neighbours could live in peace and security. He said Germany considered the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel to be the best way of achieving that goal.
French President Emmanuel Macron also paid tribute to those killed in the attacks, saying France shared the grief of Israel and bereaved families and does not “forget the names and faces” of those who were killed, Macron said. He reaffirmed France’s commitment to “combating antisemitism and terrorism” while calling for peace and security for all.
His message came amid continued debate in Europe over how governments should respond to antisemitism while also addressing the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the “unspeakable savagery and terror of 7 October must never happen again.” She remembered those killed in the attacks, including young people attending the Nova music festival, as well as the hostages who were taken into Gaza.
Von der Leyen said that the European Union remained ready to help turn the current “fragile ceasefire” into a lasting peace based on a two-state solution. Other senior EU officials similarly renewed calls for an end to the conflict and emphasized that the October 7 attacks could not be justified.
UK Leader Vows Action Against Rising Antisemitism
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham paid tribute to “those who were senselessly killed by Hamas terrorists” and said that the impact of the attacks had extended beyond Israel to Jewish communities around the world.
Burnham noted that there had been a “disturbing rise in antisemitic behaviour in the UK” since the attacks and directly addressed the country’s Jewish community.
“I want Britain’s Jewish community to hear this from me directly. We stand with you. Abuse and violence against you, in any form, will not be tolerated.
“An attack on Jewish people in Britain is an attack on all of us. Antisemitism has no place in this country, and we will do everything we can to stamp it out.”
Andy Burnham
Burnham also noted that the UK remained committed to working toward a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living alongside each other in peace and security. The British government said that it was funding protection for synagogues, schools and community buildings and would take action against antisemitism.
Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson similarly described the increase in antisemitism since October 7 as “downright appalling” and said that Sweden’s Jewish community could count on the government’s support.
The Israeli Embassy in London, meanwhile, used the anniversary to warn that the environment for Jewish people in Britain “continues to worsen.” It pointed to demonstrations following the October 7 attacks and what it described as “marches of hate,” as well as incidents of intimidation directed at Jewish people in public spaces, schools, universities and online.
The embassy also expressed concern over what it described as a significant change in the British government’s position toward Israel compared with the solidarity shown immediately after the attacks. It said the shift was a “source of deep sadness” while reaffirming the importance it places on the longstanding relationship between Britain and Israel.
Hamas Defends October 7 Attack
Hamas also issued a statement on the anniversary, describing October 7 as a “historic milestone” in what it called its ongoing struggle. The group described the attack as a “natural response” to what it characterised as years of suffering imposed by Israel.
Hamas rejected the framing of the conflict as having begun on October 7, 2023, calling that interpretation a “blatant falsification of reality and motives.” It also accused Israel of genocide, an allegation Israel rejects.
In a separate Telegram post, Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, shared a stylised image of a paraglider passing through a damaged section of a border fence, referring to the paragliders used by militants during the October 7 assault.
The competing statements reflect the sharply different interpretations of the anniversary. While European leaders focused on remembrance, opposition to terrorism and antisemitism and the pursuit of a two-state solution, Hamas presented the attack within its broader account of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Three years after October 7, the anniversary remains a day of mourning for the victims and their families, while also serving as a reminder of the continuing political and humanitarian consequences of the conflict that followed.
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