Commemoration of Hamas Victims Held Across Israel on the Anniversary of October 7 Attack

Israeli citizens have participated in various events since dawn on Monday, October 16, to commemorate the first anniversary of the sudden attack by the extremist group Hamas on the country. The attack, which is also recognized as terrorist by the United States and the European Union, led to the onset of a bloody and prolonged war that has now spread to Lebanon as well. The anniversary of the Gaza war coincides with the intensification of military and security crises in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and the West Bank. Meanwhile, two direct military attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran on Israeli territory in the past six months have heightened the likelihood of retaliatory actions by Israel against Iran and raised concerns about the outbreak of a regional war. Memorial ceremonies for the Israeli victims of the October 7 attack began at 6:29 AM on Monday, exactly one year after the Hamas attack, which has been recorded as the deadliest day in Israeli history. On October 15, 1402, 1,145 people, including 779 civilians, were killed in Israel, among whom were 38 children. Images of the victims were displayed at the 'Nova' music festival site in Kibbutz Ra'im. During its hours of attack and presence in Israeli territory, Hamas also abducted 251 individuals from settlements and kibbutzim in southern Israel, an event that shattered the sense of security for many Israeli citizens and undermined their trust in their country's leadership and military to respond promptly in times of danger. Families of the hostages and their supporters, who have held numerous protests and marches over the past year, gathered on the anniversary of their loved ones' abduction in front of the residence of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, in Jerusalem. On this day, the Hostage Families Association announced that another hostage named Idan Shitivi, 28, who was abducted from the 'Nova' festival site, had been killed, and his body remains in Hamas's possession. A survey by the 'Kan' television network on the occasion of this anniversary indicates that 87% of Israelis feel a stronger sense of 'Israeliness,' attributing this to facing an existential threat to their country. Meanwhile, the Israeli army and police announced that they have received numerous intelligence warnings about the possibility of 'terrorist attacks' on the anniversary of the October 7 attack. On Sunday, just before the anniversary of the Gaza war's onset, an Arab-Israeli opened fire in a restaurant at the central train station in Be'er Sheva, resulting in the death of a 19-year-old female police officer and injuries to 10 others. The human costs and destruction of the Gaza war are recounted through statistics. The anniversary of the 'Al-Aqsa Storm' attack comes at a time when the Israeli army has initiated a new operation in parts of the Gaza Strip this week and has asked residents of certain areas of the strip to relocate once again. Throughout one year of the Gaza war, nearly 42,000 Palestinians were killed, and the strip has witnessed extensive destruction. On the anniversary of the war, there are no signs of diplomatic movements to end the conflict. Recent negotiations in Qatar and Egypt aimed at a deal that would lead to the release of 101 Israeli hostages have also failed. The anniversary of the 'Gaza War' arrives as a large portion of the Israeli army forces that had been stationed in Gaza for the past year have been called to the northern borders. The Israeli army has gradually deployed two of its divisions into southern Lebanon over the past two weeks. Tens of thousands of other reserve forces of the Israeli army have also received orders to return to service. The Israeli army emphasizes that its ground operations in a limited part of southern Lebanon are 'targeted' and have uncovered several Hezbollah tunnels. Simultaneously, the Israeli air force has expanded its bombing range in Dahieh and other areas in Lebanon, claiming that militant activities of the Hezbollah group are ongoing there. A year after October 7, is Hamas destroyed? Hezbollah began its military campaign against Israel one day after the extremist group Hamas's attack on Israeli territory to support this Tehran-allied group, firing daily rockets and suicide drones that forced tens of thousands of people in northern Israel to evacuate their homes. The Israeli army's operations against Hezbollah intensified after the Israeli government, under public pressure and from northern refugees, officially added the safe return of these displaced individuals to its priorities on September 27. Reuters reports that a series of Israeli actions, including the killing of Hamas leaders and especially ongoing plans aimed at eliminating Hezbollah's leadership and complex attacks attributed to Israel in the explosion of thousands of pagers and communication equipment of Hezbollah, all occurred within a short period and have restored a 'sense of security among Israelis.' Six days before the first anniversary of Hamas's attack on Israeli territory, Iran launched 181 ballistic missiles at Israel, claiming revenge for the deaths of Ismail Haniyeh, Abbas Nilforushan, and Hassan Nasrallah. Ismail Haniyeh, the former head of Hamas's political bureau, was killed in Tehran on July 31, and the Secretary-General of Hezbollah Lebanon and a senior member of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards was also killed on October 6 in an Israeli bombing in Dahieh, Lebanon. Israel has emphasized that it will respond to the Islamic Republic of Iran's attacks, which the Israeli Prime Minister called 'the heaviest missile attack in history.' The Israeli army announced that it is preparing for a 'large and significant' attack on Iran. Earlier, possibilities such as an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear or oil facilities had been raised. U.S. President Joe Biden, while emphasizing Israel's right to defend itself, has urged the country to refrain from attacking Iran's nuclear facilities and suggested that it choose other options instead of oil facilities. However, Israeli officials have not shown any signs of accepting any of these proposals and have only spoken of a definitive and heavy response to Iran. Meanwhile, the 'Kan' network in Israel reported that Mr. Biden's government shared a plan with Israel on Sunday, under which Israel would receive a series of special political and military supports from the U.S. in exchange for avoiding a hard attack on Iran that could escalate regional war. It is unclear how Benjamin Netanyahu and his hardline cabinet members will react to such a plan.