Citizens of Israel Assemble to Observe 24 Months Since The October 7 Assault by Hamas

Come Tuesday, people across Israel will gather throughout the nation to remember the 24-month milestone of the 7 October attack, during which armed groups under Hamas killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages during an assault on southern Israel.

Community-led Memorials and Protests

Local remembrance events are scheduled in the small agricultural communities of Israel's south where residents were lost or abducted, and a large rally will occur in the city of Tel Aviv to call for the freeing of the captives yet to be returned from detention by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The official national ceremony of honoring will be held on 16 October in Israel’s national cemetery on Herzl Mountain following the observance of Simchat Torah.

Shared Anguish and Ongoing Impact

The memory of the national ordeal of the attack two years ago – the most lethal one-day assault in the history of Israel – still looms large across the country. The images of captives remaining in custody in Gaza are plastered on bus stops across the land, and homes that were lit on fire by armed individuals as they marauded through communal settlements stand charred and abandoned.

A multitude of those who lived through the assault at the Nova festival attended a memorial on recent Sunday with previously detained individuals and the relatives of those lost.

“This angel could have turned 27 today. I relive the moment as though it happened an hour ago,” Ofir Dor, the father of Idan Dor was killed at the musical gathering, said next to a monument showing photographs of those killed.

Negotiation Prospects

The anniversary has been overshadowed by expectations that the conflict in Gaza might be coming to a close. Representatives from Hamas and Israel gathered in Egypt on Monday where they commenced negotiations through intermediaries to resolve the details of the return of each abducted individual held in Gaza and the release of almost two thousand Palestinian prisoners, along with the first phase of pullback of Israel's military forces from the Palestinian area.

This phase of discussions, while still not close to an agreement, has generated more enthusiasm than any peace efforts after the previous cessation of hostilities collapsed in the middle of March.

The Israeli leader has said he hopes to announce the release of hostages “in the coming days”, while the ex-leader has threatened Hamas with “complete destruction” should the agreement is not reached.

Civilian Demands

Some commemoration events have been converted for protests to demand the leadership to conclude negotiations to free those detained and end the war. At a rally in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, families insisted the leader accept the suggested framework to end the war in Gaza.

Gaza's Reality

Inside the territory, Palestinians are anxiously awaiting to see if a ceasefire materialises. Despite the ex-president's requests that Israel stop bombing the strip prior to a captive return, attacks on Gaza are ongoing. The strip's medical administration stated no fewer than 19 individuals were died from Israeli strikes during the previous 24-hour period, incorporating two individuals attempting to obtain help.

The upcoming Tuesday will also mark the 24-month mark of the onset of the country's military operation on the coastal enclave, which has caused infrastructural and civilian damage to the residents.

More than 67,000 residents of Gaza have been lost their lives and about 170,000 have been harmed by Israeli forces in the territory, per the health authority in Gaza. No fewer than 460 people have perished due to lack of food in Gaza, and the international top body on famine situations has said a severe food shortage is unfolding in sections of Gaza – a result of what most aid agencies say is an blockade by Israel on the strip. The Israeli government has disputed the assertion.

A United Nations investigative body, several human rights groups and the international top group of experts on genocide have claimed the country has carried out genocide in Gaza over the past two years. The nation's leadership has disputed the claim and stated its measures are self-protection.