Israel is marking a year since Hamas attacked as the war escalates

Israel is holding commemorations for the victims of the mass killings and kidnappings committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, as a result of continued fighting in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

A year on from the attack – which killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to end the attack, saying the Israeli army was “changing the security situation” in the region.

Since October 7, nearly 42,000 people have been killed during Israel’s offensive in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

As the memorial day begins, Israel said it intercepted more than 100 rockets fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon and explosives launched by the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza.

Suddenly, sirens warning of rockets continued to sound in northern Israel, and many other towns were declared closed as military bases, as Israel looks set to increase its offensive on the Lebanese border.

The US has expressed its support for targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon – but fears that what has been described as a limited operation by Israel could quickly turn into a major, protracted conflict.

And as US and Israeli officials debated Israel’s response to Iran’s unprecedented missile attack last week, CIA director William Burns warned there was a “significant risk of regional escalation”.

Last October, Hamas gunmen in Gaza breached the border fence and raided nearby Israeli settlements, Kibbutzim, military bases and the Nova music festival.

On Monday, the families of hundreds of dead and dozens of people who were kidnapped in the event gathered in the area in the morning for the first memorial ceremony of the day.

Carrying pictures of their loved ones who were listening to the last song played at the festival before Israeli President Isaac Herzog led a minute’s silence at 06:29, when the attack began.

In nearby communities that were attacked by Hamas gunmen, small events were held.

Elsewhere, Netanyahu visited the Iron Sword memorial in Jerusalem for the victims of Hamas attacks, lighting a candle “to remember our fallen, our captors”.

In Tel Aviv’s largest park, Israeli families gathered for an event called the Bereaved Families Memorial Festival, which served as an alternative to the official government memorial service.

Some of Israel’s most famous singers played emotional songs, while images of the victims flashed on the screens.

The stadium was decorated with items reminiscent of the attack including burnt and broken cars from the Nova music festival, and a child’s bicycle and swing from the Be’eri kibbutz.

Outside of Israel, US President Joe Biden has joined other world leaders in condemning the “unspeakable brutality” of Hamas attacks last year.

He also expressed horror at the ensuing war, saying “too many people are suffering, too much”.

Mourners also gathered in vigils around the world including Australia, South Africa, Germany and the US.

In the UK, Sir Keir Starmer told the House of Commons that he supports Israel’s right to self-defense. But the British prime minister insisted there was no military solution to the current crisis and urged all sides to “back off”.

However, as the memorial services continued, a major conflict in the region intensified.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah fired more than 130 rockets at the Lebanese border. Most were shot down, but some hit the cities of Haifa and Tiberius.

Earlier, Hamas also launched rockets at Tel Aviv from Gaza. The army said the missiles were fired at Israel from Yemen but were intercepted.

Throughout the day, Israel carried out numerous airstrikes and several ground incursions into Lebanon.

The Israeli military said it was expanding its campaign against Hezbollah, warning residents of southern Lebanon to avoid using boats in the sea or rivers south of the Awali river.

Three weeks of intense Israeli strikes and other attacks in Lebanon have killed more than 1,400 people, and displaced another 1.2 million, according to Lebanese authorities.

Hezbollah – the most powerful Shia Islamist political, military and social organization in Lebanon – remains defiant despite suffering a series of tragic events in recent weeks, including the assassination of its leader and most of its top military commanders.

On Monday, the group stressed that it “relies… on our ability to resist Israeli attacks”.

The Israeli government – which designates Hezbollah as a terrorist organization – has pledged to make it safe for tens of thousands of displaced residents to return to their homes near the Lebanese border after a year of cross-border fighting that erupted in the Gaza war.

Tensions have been high ever since Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel on October 8, 2023, a day after its ally Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel.