As Israel Marks One Year of Oct 7 Attack, Conflict Widens in Middle East | LIVE

US President Joe Biden called Israeli President Isaac Herzog on anniversary of the October 7th terror attack, to express his condolences. 

A statement from the White House says that Biden “expressed his deepest condolences to the people of Israel and to the families of the 1,200 innocent people –- including 46 Americans –- massacred by the terrorist group Hamas on a day of unspeakable brutality, stressing that the United States will never give up until we bring all of the remaining hostages home safely”. 

“Biden conveyed his commitment to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel, and its right to exist, and reaffirmed his support for Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Iran and all Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis,” the statement adds. 

An Israeli readout of the call states that "Biden noted that the atrocities committed by Hamas served as a reminder of the significant threat posed by Iran and its proxies in the region. He emphasized his deep love for Israel and his own support for Zionism.”

According to a report from Times of Israel, sirens were triggered across central Israel after a ballistic surface to surface missile was fired towards Israel, from Yemen. 

Israeli air defense systems have successfully intercepted the missile. The incoming missile was shot down by an Arrow long range missile defense system. 

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu , on the 1 year anniversary of the October 7th terror attacks, suggested that the war against Hamas and Hezbollah should be named of ‘The War of Revival’. 

The military operation, as of now, is officially called “Swords of Iron”.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, the Israeli PM said “This is our war of existence, the ‘War of Revival.’ This is what I would like to officially call the war”. 

“Our counterattack against our enemies in Iran’s axis of evil is a necessary condition for securing our future and ensuring our security. We will end the war when we complete all the goals we set: overthrowing the evil rule of Hamas, bringing all of our hostages home — both the dead and the living — thwarting any future threat from Gaza to Israel, and returning our residents in the south and north safely to their homes," he added. 

The Israeli PM explained that Israel is “changing the security reality in our region. For the sake of our children, for the sake of our future, to ensure that what happened on October 7 will never happen again.” 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has said that Israel's security can't be guaranteed by force alone. He stated that it'll require a diplomatic solution. 

“Military success cannot be a substitute for a political perspective,” he said. “To bring the hostages home to their loved ones, to allow the displaced to return home in the north, after a year of war, the time for diplomacy has come," he added. 

Turkey's belligerent leader has compared Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of the sole Jewish state in the world, with Adolf Hitler. 

“It should not be forgotten that Israel will sooner or later pay the price for this genocide that it has been carrying out for a year and is still continuing," he claimed, whilst adding “Just as Hitler was stopped by an alliance of humanity, Netanyahu and his murder network will be stopped in the same way”.

“A world in which no account is held for the Gaza genocide will never find peace,” he said. 

It is worth noting that Turkey is responsible for the Armenian genocide. 

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni visited a synagogue in Rome today, to attend a memorial dedicated to victims of the October 7 terror attack. She denounced latent and rampant anti-Semitism seen in pro-Palestine protests. 

Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Safadi has said that Israel's war with Hezbollah is pushing the region into the “abyss of full-scale regional war”.

“We are facing a disaster and a dangerous escalation that threatens the region. Israel bears responsibility of this aggression, the escalation in the region, and any new escalation that the region faces," he said. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on the first anniversary of the October 7 attack.

"Today marks one year after the horrendous terrorist attacks against Israel, which resulted in the killing of civilians and prompted a dangerous escalation in the region. Every day our thoughts are with the families of the hostages and we call for their immediate and unconditional release. We express our solidarity with Israel and the Israeli people and their right to live in security," the ministry said in a statement.

"In the same vein, the alarming spike in antisemitism around the world requires our collective efforts to ensure it is not tolerated in any context."

"At this critical juncture, we call for an immediate ceasefire to alleviate the suffering of all civilians, increase the delivery of humanitarian aid for people in need and start planning for the day after as soon as possible, giving the region an opportunity for peace and prosperity for all," it added.
 

The terrorist group Hamas takes responsibility for the rocket fire on Tel Aviv a short. The rocket fie set of sirens in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas. 
 

In a statement issued the Australian PM, Anthony Albanese expressed pain and grief over the first anniversary of the October 7 attack. 

In the past year, Israel has bombed over 40,000 Hamas Targets in the Gaza Strip, found 4,700 tunnel shafts and destroyed 1,000 rockets. 

The Israeli Embassy in India in a post on X shared a post recalling the October 7.

The post read, "  6:29 AM Israel time October 7, 2023. That moment when time stopped for us. Beeri. Nahal Oz. Nir Oz. Re'em. Nova Festival. Kfar Aza. Sderot. Ofakim. Nirim. Holit. Zikim. Ashkelon. We remember all the victims. We pray for the return of all the hostages."

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday said that the world "must support Israel" to bring peace.

"The world has to realise and understand that in order to change the course of history and bring peace, a better future to the region, it must support Israel in its battle against its enemies," he said in his statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron in a post expressed grief over the October 7 attack. He said, "The pain remains, as vivid as it was a year ago. The pain of the Israeli people. Ours. The pain of wounded humanity."

"We do not forget the victims, the hostages, or the families with broken hearts from absence or waiting. I send them our fraternal thoughts,' he added. 

The Israeli military said on Monday that at least four projectiles were fired from Gaza minutes after the country began to formally commemorate last year's October 7 attacks by Hamas.
 

Israel is said to be on high alert as the country marks one year of Hamas' terror attack.

Marking exactly 365 days of the October 7 attack, yhe Israeli government posted a video on X on Sunday, displaying the hostages' pictures on 'The walls of Jerusalem' and vowing the remaining ones back.

"The walls of Jerusalem: Photos of 101 of our loved ones, held hostage for over 365 days. Wherever we go, they are with us. Our mission is clear: we will not rest until they are home. LET THEM GO NOW," it read.

One year after the October 7 attack, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) shared a video on their social media account on ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter), with the hashtag ‘Never Forget’. The video has family members of those killed, soldiers and other Israelis talking about the horrors they had witnessed. The video begins with a woman army officer, recalling her horrific experience while she did her duty and saved her country. She reveals how she was shot 12 times in her body, bullets being fired at her legs, hip, hands and shoulder.

She said, “On October 7, I was shot 12 times in my body… in my two legs, in my hips, left hand and shoulder were all hit. We were six soldiers, we tried to fight back… they threw grenades into our room, got inside and shot everyone.”
 

On Sunday, Israel declared areas around three towns near the border with Lebanon, Manara, Yiftach and Malkia, to be closed 'military zones.'

The IDF said the move was made under an assessment of the security situation in these areas.

Israel reiterated its call for the 'complete evacuation' in Gaza, where an estimated 3,00,000 people are still living amid war ruins.

"We are in a new phase of the war. These areas are considered dangerous combat zones," the military said in a statement. 
 

Today marks a year after Hamas' surprise attack on Israel and Tel Aviv's campaign in Gaza has claimed the lives of thousands and displaced millions. Since these attacks, international efforts and other agreements have failed to yield any lasting results.

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In a post on X recalling the horrific night of October 7, reposting a post by IDF spokesperson LTC Nadav Shoshani, the military said, "As you go to sleep tonight, remember:  A year ago tonight,1,200+ people went to sleep after a holiday meal or left their house on their way to a party, not knowing that their lives would end the next day. 251 people spent their night in peace not knowing that they would be taken hostage by terrorists the next day. This night was the last night before our world changed forever."

Marking one year since the deadly October 7 attack, the Israeli Defense Force in a post on X said that it held an exhibition displaying the items seized from Hamas to show them to the world.

"Marking one year since the deadly October 7 Massacre, the IDF has established an exhibition displaying the items seized from Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel on October 7, as well as during the combat in Gaza, to showcase them to the world," the IDF said.

"Since the beginning of the war, the IDF has confiscated approximately 70,000 items of enemy equipment, including around 1,250 anti-tank missiles and RPGs, as well as about 4,500 explosive devices," the post further read on X.

Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization on Sunday announced that flights across the country will remain cancelled from 9 pm on Sunday till 6 am on Monday.

The flights were halted due to "operational restrictions," the spokesperson said, without providing further details. 

The Israeli Defence Forces on Sunday in a post on X said,"Aircraft of the Air Force attacked a short time ago, in a targeted manner and under the intelligence guidance of the Israeli Defense Forces and the Southern Command, terrorists from the terrorist organization Hamas who were operating in command and control complexes set up in the "Shahda Al-Aqsa" hospital in the Deir al-Balah area."