Israel drops silence to scar one month since Hamas attacks

Memorial speeches were pierced by sobs and candles were lit by mourning crowds as Israel fell silent on Tuesday, marking one month since the October 7 Hamas attacks.

At Jerusalem’s Hebrew University around 1,000 people observed a minute of silence and recited prayers for the 1,400 killed, mostly civilians, in the worst attack on Israel since its founding in 1948.

“The atrocities left a horrible mark,” said university president Asher Cohen. “But there is hope. There will be rebirth.”

As they remembered the dead, the bloodiest Gaza war yet raged on in Israel’s campaign to destroy Hamas and has claimed over 10,000 lives according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

A university teacher clutched a photograph of his son killed alongside his girlfriend when Hamas gunmen spilled out of the Gaza Strip at dawn raiding communes, army bases and a music festival.

Remembering his loved ones killed, he said “they believed in peace”.

Dozens also attended a memorial at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, where a crowd wearing black lit rows of tealight candles commemorating the victims.

Sobs could be heard as they sang the “Hatikvah” national anthem — meaning “The Hope” in Hebrew.

‘In our heart’
“No one has the right words,” said academy president Adi Stern. “We are all in despair, in horror. We want to add some hope.”

“It’s extremely difficult but we have to do it,” he said.

“There’s not one person … not impacted by these horrible attacks,” added 52-year-old Sharon Balaban.

“Everyone knows somebody who was hurt, killed, murdered or impacted.”

In Tel Aviv, a minute’s silence was also held by the families of the more than 240 hostages which Israel says Hamas seized and took back to the Gaza Strip.

At other rallies, universities and in Israel’s parliament the minute of silence was observed around 11:00 am (0900 GMT) and many more memorial services are planned throughout Tuesday.

In retaliation for the attacks, Israel has launched a war to “eliminate Hamas” in Gaza, pounding the densely-population coastal enclave with a land, air and sea assault.

On Monday, the Hamas-run health ministry there said the death toll had surpassed 10,000 with the majority of deaths also civilians and including thousands of children.

Later ton Tuesday some families of those killed in the Hamas attacks gathered at Jerusalem’s Wailing wall, considered the most holy place Jews can pray.

“We don’t have other ways to commemorate them except with prayers, lighting candles, and having them in our heart,” said Yossi Rivlin, who lost two brothers in the music festival killings.

“It’s a terrible time. I just hope we won’t forget and return to our routine.”