Reflecting on Tragedy: Two Years Since the October 7 Attack on Israel

Fri Oct 10 2025 14:23:56 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As Israel commemorates the anniversary of a devastating attack, negotiations for peace in Gaza continue amid ongoing conflict.

On the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that killed over 1,200 people in Israel, memorials have taken place nationwide. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an agreement on a peace plan proposed by former President Donald Trump, while indirect negotiations in Egypt focus on key issues such as a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages. Amid memorial services, military actions continue, as the humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza.

Israelis have gathered across the country to mark two years since the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, as negotiations continued in Egypt over an end to the war in Gaza.

The attack saw over 1,200 people killed and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages. It was the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

Israel responded by launching a military offensive in Gaza which has killed more than 67,000 people, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Its figures are seen as reliable by the UN and other international bodies.

The horror of that dark day will be forever seared in the memories of us all, UN Secretary General António Guterres said.

He called on all parties to agree to US President Donald Trump's peace plan, describing it as a historic opportunity to bring this tragic conflict to an end.

As memorial events took place in Israel, Israeli and Hamas negotiating teams convened in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for a second day of indirect talks to discuss the terms of the proposal.

A senior Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations told the BBC that an evening round of indirect talks began at 7pm Cairo time (1700 GMT).

The official said the morning session ended without tangible results, amid disagreements over the proposed Israeli withdrawal maps from Gaza and over guarantees Hamas wants to ensure Israel does not resume fighting after the first phase of the deal.

He added that the talks are tough and have yet to produce any real breakthrough, but noted that mediators are working hard to narrow the gaps between the two sides.

Focus on key issues included a permanent ceasefire; the exchange of the hostages still held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Gaza; the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza; arrangements for humanitarian aid deliveries; and post-war governance of the territory.

President Trump's negotiators were expected to depart the US this evening and arrive in Egypt on Wednesday, a source familiar with the talks told the BBC.

In Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, 29-year-old Hagar shared her feelings of insecurity until all hostages were returned, illustrating the emotional toll of the ongoing conflict. Opinion polls now show that about 70% of Israelis want the war to end in exchange for the release of hostages.

Memorials were also held at the site of the Nova Music Festival, where more than 370 people lost their lives.

Meanwhile, intensive Israeli bombardments continued in Gaza, exacerbating a severe humanitarian crisis, with UNICEF describing dire conditions in hospitals.