Israel remembers 7 October victims a month after Hamas attack

Israelis on Tuesday observed a moment of silence to mark one month since the deadly Hamas attacks on 7 October. At Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, around 1,000 people paid their respects by observing a minute of silence and offering prayers for the 1,400 people who lost their lives. Amid the pain and loss, the community came together to remember those who were affected by these tragic events, with the hope that they would not be forgotten. Memorial services were held at various locations, including the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, where a crowd lit tealight candles to commemorate the victims and sang the national anthem, “Hatikvah,” which means “The Hope” in Hebrew. People expressed their sorrow and despair, as they remembered loved ones who were hurt, killed, or impacted by the Hamas attack. In Tel Aviv and other places, families of hostages seized by Hamas also observed a minute’s silence. 38-yaer-old Mayaan, who lost her parents in one of the kibbutz communities attacked by Hamas, told AFP it was hard to watch the “devastating” images of death and destruction coming out of Gaza. “It drives me crazy when people say ‘I’m pro-Palestinian’ or ‘I’m pro-Israeli’,” said Mayaan. “I am pro-peace. My parents would have said the same,” added Mayaan, a staff member of Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. Meanwhile, the war continues as Israel pursued its campaign to eliminate Hamas. The war has already claimed over 10,300 lives, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. With inputs from agencies