'Dark day': Victims mourned around the globe on Oct 7 anniversary

 

President Joe Biden lights a candle during a remembrance ceremony in the Blue Room of the White House with first lady Jill Biden and Rabbi Aaron Alexander (R) of Adas Israel Congregation on the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 07, 2024 in Washington, DC. [AFP]

Mourners and leaders around the world on Monday voiced horror and a desire for peace at tearful memorials remembering the unprecedented October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that sparked a year of devastating war in Gaza.

People from Sydney to Rome and Warsaw to Washington grieved for those killed and urged freedom for those taken hostage one year ago, while rallies also called for peace in the Palestinian territories.

The Hamas onslaught left 1,206 dead on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on the latest official Israeli figures.

Some 251 people were captured and taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip by militants, of whom 97 are still held captive in the coastal territory, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, 41,909 people, the majority civilians, have been killed since the start of the war. The figures have been deemed to be reliable by the United Nations.

'No military solution'

US President Joe Biden lit a candle at the White House, after a rabbi said a prayer.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the House of Commons called for renewed diplomatic efforts, while Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited a London synagogue.

"The region cannot endure another year of this, civilians on all sides have suffered too much. All sides must now step back from the brink and find the courage of restraint," Starmer said.

French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot at a conference in Jerusalem echoed the British premier's sentiments.

"Force alone cannot guarantee Israel's security, your security," Barrot told the audience. "After a year of war, the time has come for diplomacy."

In Paris at a ceremony organised by the Jewish community, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier vowed to "continue fighting antisemitism in every way".

Paris will turn off the lights on the Eiffel Tower at 11:45pm local time (2145 GMT) on Monday, the town hall told AFP.

In Strasbourg, MEPs observed a minute of silence.

"The horror of that day will live in infamy," said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

"There is nothing that could ever justify the indiscriminate mass murder, rape, kidnapping and torture that occurred a year ago."

United Nations ambassadors in Geneva also gathered at an event hosted by the Israeli mission.

"We would like the UN to speak in a clear voice, for once, and to say who started this war," said Daniel Meron, Israel's ambassador to the UN, referring to Hamas.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, at a ceremony in Hamburg, said: "We are still shocked," also calling for "a ceasefire soon, which is linked to the release of the hostages".

But Turkey's hardline President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ignored the commemorations and instead launched another broadside against Israel.

"Sooner or later, Israel will pay the price of the genocide it has been committing for the last year," Erdogan posted on X.

'Here alive'

In Spain, families of hostages and survivors paid tribute to the attack's many victims.

"I want to say 'I'm here alive, thank God'," said Carmel Efron, who survived the Hamas attack.

"I believe that light will win over darkness, the good will win over the evil and I still believe in peace and love."

Members of Australia's Jewish community gathered in Sydney for a vigil, where many held Israeli flags and lights in the shape of candles.

"Today is a very emotional day," said 48-year-old Zack Shachar, whose cousin Naama Levy was taken hostage on October 7.

"In the last year, we participated in any event, we read the names of the hostages every week in a different place in the city, and we will continue to do it until they all come back home."

One hostage who did not make it home alive was Polish-Israeli Alex Dancyg and on Monday his family inaugurated a plaque in his memory in Warsaw.

"We need to come here to (remember) my father, but also to put again the hostages on the agenda because that's the important thing now," said Yuval Dancyg, Alex Dancyg's son.

"We also still have one (hostage in captivity), our uncle. He's still in there. We're still in the situation," he added.

'End the genocide'

Pro-Palestinian protests were staged around the world, including in Australia, India, Pakistan and Yemen.

Thousands marched in Karachi, holding signs reading "stop genocide" and "you don't need to be Muslim to stand with Palestine, you just need to be human". Some also trod on the Israeli flag.

In Sydney, one protester who attended a vigil said she was hoping world governments, including Australia, would shift their attitudes towards the conflict.

"They're still continuing to offer diplomatic support to Israel," said Yasmin Johnson, 24.

"We are hoping to change that attitude and to cut ties with Israel, to stop weapon shipments and to end the genocide."

In New Delhi, around 150 protesters gathered in a peaceful rally to support the Palestinian people.

"Every day people are dying, they don't have food, they are starving," said social activist Bhavna Sharma.

Sharma, 52, carrying a placard that read "Stop the massacre", said she condemned India's support of Israel, including sales of arms.

"Why are we sending arms to Israel?" she said. "Why are we supporting Israel in any way?"