Israel on Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the October 7th, 2023, attack, while Hamas and Israeli negotiators held indirect talks on ending the two-year war in Gaza under a United States (U.S.)-proposed peace plan.
Exactly two years ago, at the end of the Jewish festival of Sukkot, militants led by Hamas, which the U.S., European Union (EU), and other countries consider a terrorist organization, launched a surprise attack on Israel, marking the deadliest day in the country’s history.
Hamas fighters broke through the border between Gaza and Israel, storming southern Israeli communities and entering a desert music festival while shooting, launching rockets, and throwing grenades. The attack resulted in the deaths of 1.219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to data based on official Israeli figures.
The militants also abducted 251 hostages and took them to Gaza, of whom 47 are still held captive, including 25 whom the Israeli army claims are dead.
Commemorative events were scheduled in Israel on Tuesday to mark the anniversary.
Another ceremony will be held at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where weekly gatherings issue calls for the release of the captives.
The state-organized commemoration is planned for October 16th.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza from the air, land, and sea continues with undiminished force, leaving behind tens of thousands of dead Palestinians and enormous destruction.
The Hamas-run Ministry of Health says that at least 67.160 people have been killed, figures the United Nations (UN) considers credible.
Their data do not distinguish between civilians and fighters, but show that more than half of the dead are women and children.
Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, and houses, hospitals, schools, and water networks lie in ruins. Hundreds of thousands of homeless people in Gaza are now sheltering in overcrowded camps and open areas with little access to food, water, or sanitation.
After two years of conflict, 72 percent of the Israeli public said they were dissatisfied with how the government is conducting the war, according to a recent survey by the Institute for National Security Studies.
Israel has expanded its military reach during the war, striking targets in five regional capitals, including Iran, and killing several senior Hamas officials and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Israel and Hamas now face growing international pressure to end the war. A UN investigation last month accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, while human rights groups accused Hamas of war crimes in the October 7th attack. Both sides reject those accusations.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump presented a 20-point plan calling for an immediate ceasefire after Hamas releases all hostages, the disarmament of the group, and Israel’s gradual withdrawal from Gaza.
Indirect negotiations began on Monday at the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, with mediators moving between delegations under heavy security.
Egyptian media linked to Egypt’s state intelligence service reported that the talks focused on “preparing conditions on the ground” for a hostage and prisoner exchange under Trump’s plan. A Palestinian source close to Hamas negotiators said that the talks, which began on the eve of the October 7th anniversary, could last several days.
Trump urged the negotiators to “act quickly” to end the war in Gaza, where Israeli attacks continued on Monday.
The U.S. president said: “I think we’re very, very close to reaching a deal… I think there’s now a lot of goodwill being shown. It’s actually quite remarkable.”
Although both sides have welcomed Trump’s proposal, reaching an agreement on its details is expected to be a Herculean task.
Two ceasefires had previously been achieved in the war, allowing the release of dozens of hostages.
However, Israeli military commander Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir warned that if these negotiations fail, the army will “return to fighting” in Gaza.
Photo: archive
