Israel marks first anniversary of Hamas attack by lighting candles

Fighting a war of resurrection, says Bibi, will stay the course till all hostages are released

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FAMILIES lit candles and observed a moment of silence at a memorial service in southern Israel to mark the first anniversary of Hamas October 7 attacks on Monday, as the sounds of helicopters and artillery fire echoed from nearby Gaza.

At the Nova rave site, President Isaac Herzog began the day with a moment of silence at 6.29 am the minute the attack began with thousands of rockets fired from Gaza to provide air cover to militants storming across the border a year ago.

"October 7, 2023, is a day that should be remembered in infamy, when thousands of cruel terrorists broke into our homes, violated our families, burned, chopped, raped and hijacked and abducted our citizens, our brothers and sisters," said the president. “This is a scar on humanity." Families wearing T-shirts with the faces of the missing embraced and others took pictures as the trance song that played at the rave during the moment of the attack blared in homage to the music festival.