Thousands of people have gathered in southern Israel to mourn and mark two years since Hamas’s October 7 attack.
It has been two years since thousands of Hamas-led militants poured into southern Israel after a surprise barrage of rockets.
They stormed army bases, farming communities and an outdoor music festival, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, including women, children and older adults.
At 6.29 am, the exact time the attack began, the music – the same track that festival revellers were listening to at the time – stopped for a moment of silence.
They abducted 251 others, most of whom have since been released in ceasefires or other deals.
Forty-eight hostages remain inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive.
The main memorial is being organised by the bereaved families, separate from a ceremony the government will hold on the anniversary next week, according to the Hebrew calendar.
The split reflects deep divisions over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, which many blame for the failure to secure a ceasefire that would free the remaining hostages held by the militants.
Nearly 400 Israelis were killed and dozens abducted from the Nova music festival in the border community of Reim.
Over the last two years, it has emerged as a memorial site, with portraits of the kidnapped and fallen affixed to Israeli flags.
There is no official ceremony at the Nova site, due to the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which coincides with the anniversary.
Yet, scores of people descended on the site to share memories of relatives and friends who were killed, weaving through hundreds of photos encircling the spot where a DJ booth stood.
Meanwhile, explosions echoed from Gaza. The army said a rocket was launched from northern Gaza in the morning, but no damage or injuries were reported.
The war has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government.
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It says women and children make up around half the dead, and many independent experts say its figures are the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
Israel’s offensive has displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of some two million, often multiple times, and restrictions on humanitarian aid have contributed to a severe hunger crisis, with experts saying Gaza City is experiencing famine.
Experts and major rights groups have accused Israel of genocide, and the International Criminal Court is seeking the arrest of Mr Netanyahu and his former defence minister for using starvation as a method of war.
Israel vehemently denies the allegations, saying it is waging a lawful war of self-defence and taking extraordinary measures to avoid harming civilians.
Hamas portrayed the October 7 attack as a response to decades of Israeli land seizures, settlement construction and military occupation.
But the attack has exacted a catastrophic toll on the Palestinians, whose dream of an independent state appears more distant than ever.
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