On Tuesday, Israel marked two years since the deadly Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023 which left roughly 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage. Low-key memorials unfolded in southern kibbutzim hit hardest by the violence, while a larger rally was held in Tel Aviv, with families pleading for the release of those still held by Hamas in Gaza, the Guardian reports. The Times of Israel reports that 30,000 people attended the Tel Aviv rally, which was organized by group founded by families of victims, hostages, and attack survivors.
At dawn, relatives of victims gathered at the Nova music festival site—where over 370 people died and dozens were abducted—pausing for a minute of silence at 6:29am, the exact moment the assault began. The somber anniversary also coincides with two years of Israel's military operations in Gaza, a campaign that's devastated the region and its people. The official memorial will take place later in October at Mount Herzl, following the Simchat Torah holiday. The AP reports that at the Nova site, the sound of Israeli artillery fire and explosions could be heard from Gaza. The military said a rocket was fired from northern Gaza Tuesday morning, but there were no reports of injuries or damage.
The echoes of October 7 remain inescapable in Israel, the Guardian reports. Posters of the hostages line public spaces, and torched homes in kibbutzim stand as grim reminders. The day's events are colored by a cautious optimism, as negotiators from both sides met in Egypt to discuss a potential deal—one that could see remaining hostages freed, nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners released, and Israeli troops withdrawn from Gaza. While an agreement remains elusive, this round of talks has generated more hope than previous efforts, with both sides signaling acceptance of President Trump's peace plan.
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Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas continued Tuesday. The Gaza health ministry says more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war. Maha Shbeir, a doctor at Nasser Hospital, tells the AP that the last two years have felt like decades. "I've seen cases of children, elderly people, women, cases of amputation, burns, head injuries," she says. "I don't know how we will recover in the future from them, from those scenes that we've seen."
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