Vigils, commemorations and acts of remembrance were planned across the world on Monday to mark one year since the Oct 7 Hamas attack on Israel as world leaders called for an end to antisemitism and the release of Israeli hostages.
Last year's surprise cross-border attack, which killed about 1,200 people, caught Israel unprepared on a major Jewish holiday, shattering Israelis’ sense of security and leaving many countries, already on edge over Russia's war in Ukraine, facing the prospect of another major conflict in the Middle East.
In Tokyo, Japanese officials expressed condolences to the Israelis who lost family members in the Hamas attacks, renewing their condemnation of terrorism and demanding the immediate release of all hostages.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that Japan is seriously concerned about the continuing critical humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, and urged all parties including Israel to comply with international humanitarian law and work toward a cease-fire.
The nations of Europe, home to many Jewish and Muslim communities, have sought to tamp down both antisemitic and anti-Muslim sentiment in the wake of the Hamas attack and Israel’s subsequent war against the militants in Gaza, which has killed over 41,000 people and displaced around 1.9 million in the embattled coastal territory.
The Vatican marked the anniversary of the attacks by taking up a collection for the people of Gaza and publishing a letter from Pope Francis to Catholics in the region, expressing his solidarity.
Francis made no mention of Israel, Hamas or the hostages in the letter dated Oct 7. He referred to the “fuse of hatred” being ignited one year ago and the spiral of violence that has ensued, insisting that what is needed is dialogue and peace.
“I am with you, the people of Gaza, long embattled and in dire straits. You are in my thoughts and prayers daily,” he wrote.
After some comments that upset Israel early on in the conflict, Francis has usually tried to strike an even tone. But he recently suggested Israel was using disproportionate and “immoral” force in Lebanon and Gaza.
He said he was particularly close to those who have been forced to flee their homes to find refuge from bombing, to the mothers weeping over their dead children and those “who are afraid to look up for fear of fire raining down from the skies.”
The German chancellery in Berlin was adorned with a yellow ribbon commemorating the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas, around 100 of whom remain in captivity, with many of them feared dead.
The names of the people killed and kidnapped in the attack on Israel were read out in front of the Brandenburg Gate starting at 5:29 a.m. local time in Germany, when Hamas’ onslaught began a year ago.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said to Germany’s “dear friends in Israel” that “we feel with you … we stand beside you.”
But he also pointed to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and said “the daily experience of violence and hunger is not a basis on which good things can grow.”
Scholz said in an address to a conference in Hamburg that Germany is pressing for a cease-fire and the release of the hostages and “for a political process, even if it is further away than ever.” He said the aim must be a two-state solution that is only possible if a wider conflagration in the region is prevented, adding that Hezbollah and Iran must cease their attacks on Israel.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who has voiced strong support for Israel, commemorated the Oct 7 anniversary by visiting the main synagogue in Rome and reaffirming Israel’s right to defend itself.
She denounced the “latent and rampant antisemitism” she said has arisen since the Hamas attack, citing in particular pro-Palestinian protests in Italy this past weekend, some of which turned violent.
While asserting Israel’s lights to live safely within its borders, Meloni insisted it respect international law and lamented the devastation unleashed by Israeli forces in Gaza. She said Palestinians in Gaza had been “victims twice over: first of Hamas’ cynicism, which uses them as human shields, and then of Israeli military operations.”
French President Emmanuel Macron took to social media Monday to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attacks. “The pain remains, as vivid as it was a year ago. The pain of the Israeli people. Ours. The pain of wounded humanity," he said.
“We do not forget the victims, the hostages, or the families with broken hearts from absence or waiting. I send them our fraternal thoughts," Macron wrote on the social media platform X. He was later expected to receive in Paris some of the family members of hostages held by Hamas.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot attended a memorial service at the site of the Nova music festival, in Re’im, Israel, where hundreds were killed. Speaking to the families of victims, he expressed France’s support in the face of “the worst antisemitic massacre in our history since the Holocaust.”
“The joyful dawn of what should have been a day of celebration was suddenly torn apart by unspeakable horror,” he said.
In Poland's capital, the Jewish community paid tribute to Alex Dancyg, a Polish-born Yad Vashem historian who was abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz on Oct. 7 and killed by Hamas. He was remembered as a man who worked for reconciliation and understanding between Poles and Jews, and between Israelis and Palestinians.
In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended a vigil in Melbourne, where he walked with members of the Jewish community and lawmakers from across party lines. Thousands attended the vigil.
Earlier in the morning, Albanese said the day carried “terrible pain,” and that his government “unequivocally” condemned Hamas’ actions.
“Since the atrocities of October 7, Jewish Australians have felt the cold shadows of antisemitism reaching into the present day, and as a nation we say never again,” he said. “We unequivocally condemn all prejudice and hatred.”
In Sydney, opposition leader Peter Dutton — who has vehemently decried Australia’s acceptance of Palestinian refugees — arrived to cheers at a vigil also attended by thousands at which he reiterated his party’s support for Israel.
Dutton’s remarks to the crowd echoed those he made earlier Monday, in which he said the Oct. 7 attack “awoke and exposed an antisemitic rot afflicting Western democracies.”
“Israel has every right to defend its territory and its people from existential threats,” he said.
Hundreds of people gathered amid a heavy police presence Monday night at Sydney town hall for a vigil for Palestinian lives lost in the conflict. Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters had rallied across Australia’s cities on Sunday.
In Pakistan's largest city of Karachi, school children took part in a rally on Monday organized by the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League party to protest Israeli airstrikes in the Middle East and show solidarity with Palestinian people living in Gaza and Lebanon.
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42 Comments
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Banthu
The activist left that is out in the streets basically chose the worst day of the year to punch their fist in the air on this issue.
Of course they will be branded anti-semitic if they protest on Oct. 7th of all days.
Tamarama
The Hamas attack cannot be viewed in isolation, it can only be viewed within the broader frame of what has happened over the last 70 years in Israel.
If you went purely on body count, what would the numbers be? 1 Israeli killed for every 100 Palestinians? More than that? Land theft, oppression, subjugation systematic abuse and mistreatment.
This is one of the worst and most one sided examples of inhumanity in contemporary history.
Banthu
The reason the media intentionally doesn't provide context is so that they can say the attack was "unprovoked"
No major conflicts that are happening now on the global stage are "unprovoked" if you actually view the broader frame of history.
The western media only tells one side of the story which makes it easy to claim that the other side started the fighting by conducting an "unprovoked" military operation.
sakurasuki
@Tamarama @Bantu exactly, the number of death already now exceed 40 thousands that includes babies, childrens, women and elders.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-nears-41-700-as-israeli-attacks-kill-51-more-palestinians/3349355
lincolnman
And the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas are still in their custody - a stain on both Hamas for taking and holding them and on Netanyahu for not securing their release...
Israelis are outraged at Netanyahu for not getting their family members back from the Hamas butchers...
bass4funk
Absolutely
Capuchin
How is it any different than if people chose to protest the US invasion of Iraq on 9/11? Would they be considered Al Qaeda supporters? Complete nonsense.
They are branded "anti-semitic" wherever and whenever they protest. It's a disgusting use of anti-semitism that cheapens and devalues the term.
It's used to prevent the very contextualization you're talking about. Want to talk about pre-1947 or everything that has happened since 1968? Well now you're questioning Israel's right to exist.
I implore anyone unfamiliar with the conflict to do some basic research. It's not the incredibly complex or "centuries old religious conflict" it's made out to be. The history of the conflict is pretty straightforward and easy to understand.
Joe Shimabukuro
The only one newspaper in Japan where readers can express their opinions freely. Thanks for the excellent comments, thank you JAPAN TODAY!
Aly Rustom
Tamarama & Capuchin- Excellent posts!
TaiwanIsNotChina
Hamas also celebrated Oct. 7th by launching missiles at populated areas.
koiwaicoffee
Both sides are horrible, I cannot take sides with any.
Palestinian's and Hamas, a terrorist org that is, of course, religious extremist, keeping hostages after a year.
Israel killing without contempt thousands of civilians, including more than 10.000 kids. Kids!
Humanity at its worst. War for religion. War for territory. We didn't learn a thing from the XX century.
Alfie Noakes
Yes. In this historic footage US President Harry Truman explains what's going to happen in the future. "We had to take it in small doses," he says.....
https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1843148947583553909
diobrando
Tamarama you already said what its the reality since decades.
1000 palestinian or lebanese lifes = 1 israeli life ? Definitely no!
Chabbawanga
And Israel did exactly the same.
Ricky Kaminski13
Says it all right there. Zero regrets about the horror that started this whole thing. Yesterday’s article about the actual anniversary being shutdown for comments so quickly by the moderators was also a good example of the attitude taken by media and especially the staff here at JT. Sorry guys, you have let yourselves and everyone down with your clever but very noticeable ias. One year on and we have seen you constantly paint a lop sided picture , stirring more hatred towards Israel, peddling your blessed victimhood ( check the choice of photo again for this article and ask why they would choose that for this story ) and accusing the side who were to be genocided by Hamas of committing genocide themselves. Whoever pulls the strings over there guys, needs to have a good look at themselves, but I doubt that level of self reflection will happen. This will all be noted by future AI historians!
Thought Netanyahus speech yesterday to the UN was on point, powerful and called out the blatant and deliberate hypocrisy we have witnessed over the past year. You could see many of the members there physically deflating in their seats with a coldness in their eyes that was clear as day. Never again.
owzer
Drawing moral equivalency between the intentional murder of innocents and the unfortunate deaths of innocents who were placed in harms way by hamas is disgusting. And immoral.
nandakandamanda
One year since the flowers of hate blossomed.
TaiwanIsNotChina
It's quite clear who starts shooting and kidnapping when previously there was essentially no shooting and kidnapping.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Israel is the one in need of some terrorism relief. Not Lebanon and least of all Hezbollah.
Chabbawanga
Absolute nonsense.
2023 was the deadliest year for Palestinian children. An article from September 2023. This was before Hamas attacked Israel.
https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/2023-marks-deadliest-year-record-children-occupied-west-bank
Blacksamurai
How about a little real journalism here instead of repeating assertions while leaving out factual contexts?
The Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton did not support taking in Palestinians from Gaza during the recent conflict as the Labor Albanese Govt did not do correct vetting and in fact many were allowed to arrive on tourist visas which has never been done before in Australia when selecting refugees. No interviews, no biometrics,no due process that usually happens.
The Aus Govt had to backpedal when further investigation by the security agency Asio revealed that 7,000 or more who had been approved were actually high security risks - militia membes, combatants for Hamas/Hezbollah, members of their multiple organisations including drug cartels that finance weapons and propaganda etc. Their visas were cancelled just bfore they were due to depart for an unsuspecting Australia.
These investigations were done after Peter Dutton and his Liberal party demanded answers in parliament and pointed out that Australia had never allowed refugee status to be given to citizens of a terrorist state as Hamas Gaza is classified by Australia and a number of other western nations. There's a reason other western nations did not take in Gazans.
Chabbawanga
It would be, if that were actually the case. Unfortunately for Israel there are too many cases that show us this to be false. The killing of Hind Rajab. The killing of the World Kitchen aid workers. The killing of three Israeli hostages waving white flags. The deliberate targettinf of Gazan children by Israeli snipers. Sure, some victims really were collateral damage, many i disproportionate strikes by IDF. Many others were simply innocent victims of Israeli wrath.
WoodyLee
"" as world leaders called for an end to antisemitism and the release of Israeli hostages. ""
What Antisemitism??
Is Protesting and Rejecting OCCUPATION Anti Arabs and Jews ?
Is Protesting and Rejecting APARTHEID Anti Arabs and Jews ?
Is Protesting and Rejecting Gaza Genocide Anti Arabs and Jews ?
People are rejecting Zionism and that is NOT Antisemitism.
Blacksamurai
The so called Free Palestine agitators and demonstrators are their own worst enemies and their supporters from the Middle East who went to western countries usually free by the asylum/refugee way cannot claim to be victims there.
On display at every protest in the west were the symbols of organisations that produce children's books for the arab world depicting Jewish people as depraved financiers and legitimate targets to be killed because of an eye for an eye, participate in the drug trade to finance terrorism in every corner of the planet apart from the north and south poles, create extremist states within a state - Iran's Hezbollah in Lebanon - and create states such as Hamas Gaza where capital punishment and mutilations took place in full view of the public including children, women's role is baby producing and domestic chores and lbtq people face summary execution if caught out.
Australians woke up and banned Hezbollah symbols but I watched their news and saw hate speech which is illegal in Australia being permitted to the No Israel demonstrators. Including of course the usual clerics at the biggest mosque in Australia - 'The Prime Minister Albanese is a cancer', 'We celebrate October 7th', 'October 7th was a good day', 'Social cohesion is a dirty word to Muslims'. These groups say they are 'victimised' in Australia but the recent ugly scenes show just how privileged and above the law they are. Meanwhile Israelis flew the Australian flag along with their own.
Ricky Kaminski13
Keep telling yourself that wood. Make it your mantra. Say it at least until you yourself believe it, but no, you can’t ask the adult world to. Replacing Zionism with Antisemitism. Orwellian word play nonsense. Nothing new.
WoodyLee
Tear down the walls Israel, End the Occupation Israel, End Gaza Blockade Israel, Stop stealing Arabs land Israel, Stop your settlers attacks on Arabs Israel, Stop practicing Apartheid Israel and the bible put it.
""Matthew 10:13-15 American Standard Version (ASV)
And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet.""
u_s__reamer
The dead and bereaved on both sides on October 7 deserve our condolences, but not so the far-right Zionist government and government leaders from countries supplying the weapons used to kill and maim many tens of thousands of Arab civilians with malice aforethought. They are all war criminals who with their brazen lies, propaganda and hasbara continue a year later to push their false narrative of the events of that day in order to carry out the "justifiable" (in their mind) slaughter and destruction of Gaza and mass murder in the West Bank. The facts tell a different story, but what is truth to them?
GillislowTier
It takes a special kind of hypocrite to ignore the anniversary of over 1,000 civilians being slaughtered deliberately to do a protest like this. I don’t have any skin in the game so to speak if I’m using that correctly, but have some decency to pick up the protest the next day or something.
Ignoring the why this is happening is dangerous thinking. I don’t like Israel’s military action any more than anyone else but sometimes the human thing to do would be to take a second and remember the people who lost their lives triggering the events too, especially on the day.
WoodyLee
Hamas celebrated the 7th of Oct. by sending 5 advance missiles to the heart of Israel, while Bibi and his war mongers still think Hamas was defeated.
Peter Neil
israel is surrounded by countries and people who have for generations wanted it and all israelis destroyed “all the way to the sea.”
it was attacked in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, 2006 and 2023.
Blacksamurai
Free speech in western style democracies is fine until some start taking advantage of it to hate monger and push extremist narratives. Making an anniversary of Jewish people slaughtered on October 7th last year a day of 'protest' and 'celebration' for the pro Palestine/Hamas/Hezbollah/No Israel supporters has done a lot of damage to the cause of the Palestinian people.
These protests have been mostly marked by hate speech and intimidation of the Jewish populations of western countries as well as intimidation of the people who made the democratic societies that exist in countries like the US and Australia. My Australian friends referred me to videos where the 'protesters' have tried to prevent Australian going about their lawful business in the retail industry and shoppers from doing their activities.
A street musician playing the violin had his instrument broken and was assaulted in Melbourne by two 'protesters' because he refused to stop playing. He is an Australian citizen born in Australia. There are many more examples of the creating of atmospheres of hate and intimidation - and not by Jewish people there - including groups of men shouting out 'Where are the Jews?'
The present Aus Govt made the mistake of trying to appease the pro Palestine/No Israel demographic and the outcome is their leader being villified as a 'cancer' as well as ordinary people including immigrants from all over the world saying they are scared and have never scene this kind of hatred brought from other countries.
The Albanese Govt's early response was to ignore the religous extremism fuelling the No Israel/No Jews hysteria and even appoint an 'Ambassador to counter Islamaphobia'. No, people are not scared of Islam, they are scared of Islamic extremism and they have the right to be especially as the big gathering in Sydney was at the biggest mosque and clerics lead the way in vile invective.
GDBD
What a total BS. Those lands were forcefully taken from Palestinians in last 75 years. Everyday some more added to it. Everyday has been October 7 for Palestinians since the day Israel established.
"Palestinians have the right reclaim all lost territories" would be a more proper and moral statement. But western politicians are too deep in pockets of Jewish big money, They would prefer a foreign jew over their own hardworking citizens.
Keiko desu
give peace a chance.
GDBD
Except you forgot that there was no substantial jewish population in that region for 2000 years. Suddenly Zionist colonialist came and started to take away land and expected to not have any push back.
I mean it is not their fault either. They were massacred by the europeans so many times (ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expulsions_and_exoduses_of_Jews) they had to look for somewhere else and they thought why not go back Palestine after 2000 thousand years.
So I don't believe any comment from westerners on this page. If jews were there to take away their land, they would simply add another entry to the wiki page I have shared.
Mr Kipling
The sympathy for the Jews for events 80 years ago is wearing rather thin. People now seeing Zionism for what it really is.
Chabbawanga
What absolute garbage.
Attilathehungry
GBDB, you are wrong. Jews have been there for millenia.
You may want to ask yourself why there are no Jews in the surrounding Arab countries, though. There had been large Jewish communities there too, for centuries. But they all....disappeared. What happened?
As for the Palestinians, they have had many chances to help themselves. And failed. Their Arab brothers have rejected them. Nobody wants them- the Egyptians, the Saudis, all do not accept Palestinians as refugees or citizens. Ever wonder why?
Refugee status has never been hereditary, except for the Palestinians. Ever wonder why?
bass4funk
The leadership is defeated and that is a great thing, now people will no doubt take their place, but it will be years before these people get up to speed and can relaunch such an attack like this, which gives the Israelis some breathing room for a few years.
Chabbawanga
Push - After the Arab-israeli war many Arab nations became more hostile towards their Jewish populations.
Pull - After the establishment of israel there was a homeland for Jewish people to live in, and many were encouraged to emigrate by Zionist organizations.
Fighto!
Pro-terrorist Hezbollah protesters have been arrested in Australia in the past couple of days marching with banners showing machine guns - and more sickening - swastikas -
www.news.com.au/national/politics/propalestine-protester-in-custody-after-swastika-flag-stunt/news-story/3292270c43879524f00a09eb873ca154%3famp
Cue the Hamas and Hezbollah supporters being outraged that waving swastika flags is a crime now in Australia and elsewhere.
wallace
There will never be peace between the sides until they find a way to live in peace side by side but that does not look possible any time soon.
Both people want peace. The leaders must find the way to it.
Attilathehungry
Chabba- yes, they became anti-semitic (the Arab countries). Or rather, their latent anti-semitism was allowed to come to the surface. Plus it was a good opportunity to steal the Jews property and money, kill a few, and have a good time driving them out. Thank God they had somewhere to escape to.
Now, if only the Palestinians had somewhere else to go. If only there were an Arab nation willing to take them in...
kurisupisu
@Atillathehungry
You are in error.
There is a certain country in the ME where Jews may pray in a synagogue and live without fear.
The Jews in that country number in their thousands！