Ceremonies have been held across Israel to mark the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on the Jewish state. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the attack awakened Israel’s “inner strength,” families of those killed blame the state for allowing it to happen in the first place.
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Hamas militants launched a surprise assault on Israel one year ago on Monday, occupying dozens of towns and villages in the south of the country, killing around 1,100 people, and taking roughly 250 hostages back to Gaza. Israel responded by declaring war on the militant group. The ongoing conflict has claimed nearly 42,000 Palestinian lives to date, as well as the lives of 726 Israeli soldiers.
“As has happened time and again in Israel’s history, it is precisely in moments of difficulty that great inner strength emerges,” Netanyahu said at a pre-recorded ceremony aired on Monday. “We stood together for the defense of our country, for the defense of our homeland,” he continued, adding that Israel “will continue to fight” as long as “the enemy threatens our existence and the peace of our country.”