On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Rem Music Festival attack, Israeli citizens held gatherings in multiple locations to mourn their compatriots who perished in the massacre and called for the rescue of all hostages taken by Hamas.
On October 7, 2023, Palestinian militant group Hamas militants carried out a terrorist attack in southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and kidnapping over 250 as hostages. This terrorist attack sparked the conflict known as the Hamas-Israel war.
At around 6:29 am on Monday, the exact time when Hamas launched the terrorist attack a year ago, the memorial ceremony officially commenced. The final song from the concert a year ago was played once again, as hundreds of attendees stood in silent tribute.
During the gathering, people stood solemnly by the images of the deceased, reminiscing under the flickering candlelight. Many struggled to contain their grief, embracing each other and shedding tears.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog presided over the commemorative event and delivered a speech, urging unity. He stated, “We will forever remember who carried out this kidnapping, murder, rape, and massacre. Yet at the same time, we have also witnessed the extraordinary resilience of the Israeli people. We are a remarkable nation, and today, we strengthen this character and unite.”
On that day, outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, around 300 Israeli citizens joined the families of the hostages, holding up photos of their loved ones, as they observed a minute of silence amidst the sound of sirens for the deceased.
Yuval Baron’s father-in-law was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 last year and is still detained in Gaza. Baron expressed during the gathering, “I hope that starting from today, together we remind ourselves, our Prime Minister, and the people of Israel, that despite today being a day of sorrow, let us not forget the sacred mission of bringing the hostages home.”
To date, over 100 hostages remain detained by Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli military continues its military operations in Gaza to thoroughly dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities.
Palestinian authorities reported that the Gaza war has resulted in over 41,000 Palestinian deaths and displaced the majority of the 2.3 million population in the enclave.
The day after the “October 7 Massacre,” on October 8, 2023, the Iran-backed Islamic extremist group Hezbollah in Lebanon launched rocket attacks on Israel. Subsequently, skirmishes between the Israeli military and Hezbollah militants continued, causing tens of thousands of northern Israeli residents to be displaced.
Israeli military and police forces stated on Monday that Hamas might launch another attack on the first anniversary of the “October 7th terrorist attack,” placing security agencies nationwide on high alert.
On October 7 last year, Hamas launched a sudden attack on southern Israeli residents and border soldiers. In the village of Re’im, Hamas militants opened fire on people attending the music festival, killing nearly 400 individuals and taking many hostage.
(This article references reports from the Associated Press and Reuters)