Two Years On: Israel Divided By Memory Of October 7 As War With Gaza & Hostage Standoff Persist

Today marks one year since the October 7 attacks, the assault on Israel in its history, which ignited a catastrophic war that continues to reshape the region. As memorials are held across Israel, the Gaza Strip remains gripped by war, displacement, and a humanitarian crisis.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups launched a surprise, coordinated attack from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel.

Over 6,000 militants breached the Gaza-Israel border in more than 100 locations, using motorcycles, trucks, boats, bulldozers, and paragliders. At least 4,300 rockets rained down across Israeli cities.

In the hours that followed, militants carried out massacres in over 20 Israeli communities, including Be’eri, Kfar Aza, and Nir Oz. The most devastating attack occurred at the Nova music festival near Re’im, where 364 people were killed and many others kidnapped. In total, 1,195 people, mostly civilians, were killed on that day, and over 250 hostages were taken into Gaza.

In Tel Aviv, a large memorial service is being held today, led not by the government, but by bereaved families and civil society groups who continue to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for answers, and for the return of the remaining 48 hostages, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

At the site of the Nova festival massacre, families are erecting a sukkah, a traditional Jewish structure built during the festival of Sukkot, to honour the victims and the coinciding anniversary. No official state ceremony is taking place there, due to the ongoing holiday.

Many Israelis blame Netanyahu’s government for intelligence failures that led to the surprise attack and for what they view as prolonged inaction on securing a ceasefire. Weekly protests have persisted across Israel, calling for his resignation and an urgent deal to bring the remaining captives home.

In Gaza, the fallout from October 7 has been devastating. In response to the attacks, Israel launched a full-scale military campaign, pledging to destroy Hamas and secure the release of hostages.

One year later, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, including tens of thousands of women and children. Around 90% of Gaza’s 2 million residents have been displaced, with many enduring repeated evacuations under relentless bombardment.

Gaza City, once densely populated and bustling, is now a ghost town. Those who remain are sheltering in place, while thousands more are trying to flee south — often at great personal risk and financial cost.

International rights groups and humanitarian organisations have accused Israel of war crimes, including the use of starvation as a weapon. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently seeking the arrest of Netanyahu and Israel’s former defence minister over alleged crimes against humanity. Israel strongly denies all allegations and insists it is operating within international law.

The October 7 attack and its aftermath sparked a regional firestorm. In June 2024, Israel and the United States jointly launched strikes against Iranian military and nuclear facilities, after a series of cross-border escalations involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.

Israel has since neutralised key figures in Hamas and Hezbollah and claimed major strategic gains across Gaza, southern Lebanon, and parts of Syria. However, the cost in human lives, infrastructure, and political stability has been enormous.

As war grinds on, indirect talks between Israel and Hamas have resumed this week in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, centred around a new peace proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump. The plan reportedly includes:

• A permanent ceasefire

• Release of all remaining hostages

• A phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza

• International supervision of post-war reconstruction

Hamas has stated it will only release the hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli exit from Gaza. Netanyahu, under increasing pressure from hardliners and grieving families alike, has vowed to continue the war until all hostages are freed and Hamas is dismantled.

As Israel mourns its dead and Gaza struggles to survive, both societies face a future fraught with uncertainty. The October 7 attacks not only reshaped Israeli security doctrine — with a new emphasis on preemptive strikes but also brought the dream of Palestinian statehood even further from reach.