Monday marks one year since Israel suffered the deadliest attack in the country’s history when Hamas launched a surprise raid, killing more than 1,200 and sparking a war in Gaza that has seen more than 41,000 lose their lives.
Hamas marked the anniversary of its attack by firing a barrage of rockets at Tel Aviv along with Hezbollah, which first began firing rockets at Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, and has since been the focus of the Israeli Defense Forces in Lebanon.
Demonstrations and memorials have sprung up across the United States to honor those who lost their lives and the hundreds who were taken hostage and have not yet been returned to their loved ones.
In New York City, demonstrations are planned throughout the day, with pro-Palestinian groups calling for people to “flood New York City for Palestine,” the group Within Our Lifetime shared.
In Washington, DC, a Christian group, Philos Project, has organized a “Standing with Israel” rally at the National Mall.
At synagogues across the country, vigils are expected to be held throughout the day.
The progressive group If Not Now is also holding memorials in several US cities, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, DC, to “mourn every Israeli, Palestinian, and Lebanese life taken — every universe destroyed.”
Following the Oct. 7 attack last year, several campus protests broke out as pro-Palestinian protesters called for a ceasefire while Israel continued to advance into Gaza in its efforts to fight Hamas.
Those protests sparked a massive examination of anti-semitism on college campuses and resulted in the presidents of top universities resigning after they received backlash for their answers during a congressional hearing.
Now, more events are expected to take place at top universities, with the Students for Justice in Palestine calling for a “national student walkout.”
The fighting between Hamas, Hezbollah, and Israel remains ongoing at this point, despite world leaders calling for a ceasefire.