40,000 Hamas targets bombed in Gaza so far: Israel on high alert on 1st anniversary of October 7 massacre

Tel Aviv: Over the weekend, thousands gathered for emotional ceremonies marking the first anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas militants. The initial candlelight vigils, memorials, and marches were held in cities such as Tel Aviv, London, Paris, and Berlin, with more planned globally on Monday (Oct 7). In Tel Aviv, a candlelight vigil took place at a concert hall on Sunday (Oct 6) evening, where friends and relatives paid tributes to the 370 victims of the massacre at the Nova dance festival.

In Berlin, approximately 650 people gathered for a commemoration on Saturday, during which police detained 26 individuals for shouting insults at attendees. Meanwhile, in Paris, thousands assembled on Sunday to honor the victims of the attack.

Meanwhile, Israel's military said early on Monday (Oct 7) that sirens were sounded in Rishon Letsiyon in central Israel.

On the eve of the October 7 Hamas attack anniversary, Israel continued its airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting Beirut suburbs on Sunday. Earlier that day, an Israeli strike on the town of Qamatiyeh, southeast of Beirut, killed six people, including three children, according to Lebanon's health ministry. In retaliation, Hezbollah launched an attack on Israel's Haifa on Monday morning.

Hezbollah issued a statement claiming responsibility for targeting a military base south of Haifa with a volley of "Fadi 1" missiles. According to Israeli police, the attack caused minor injuries and damage to buildings and properties, as reported by Reuters.

Lebanon reported over 30 airstrikes overnight, while the Israeli military stated that around 130 projectiles had been launched from Lebanon into Israeli territory, according to an AP report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reaffirmed his commitment to securing victory, emphasizing that the Israeli military has "completely transformed reality" since the Hamas attack on October 7 last year. Addressing the troops, he reassured them with a confident message, stating, "We will win."

Since October 7, 2023, an armed conflict has erupted between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip and Israel. The war was triggered by a surprise attack from Hamas on Israel, which included a large-scale rocket barrage and an incursion of militants breaching the Gaza-Israel barrier. These militants targeted Israeli civilian communities and military installations. The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, including 815 civilians, and 251 Israelis and foreign nationals were taken hostage, with the goal of pressuring Israel to release Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas stated that its October 7 attack was a response to Israel's continued occupation, the blockade of Gaza, the expansion of settlements, violations of international law, perceived threats to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the broader struggles of Palestinians. After Israeli forces cleared its territory of militants, the Israeli military launched a highly destructive bombing campaign, followed by a ground invasion of Gaza on October 27, with the declared aims of dismantling Hamas and rescuing hostages.

Over the past year, Israel has bombed over 40,000 targets in the Gaza Strip, uncovered 4,700 tunnel shafts, and destroyed 1,000 rocket launcher sites, according to military reports shared on Monday's one-year anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks that triggered Israel's ongoing assault on the enclave.

On the same day, the Israeli military announced that 726 soldiers had been killed since October 7, 2023. Of these, 380 died in the initial Hamas attacks, while 346 lost their lives in combat during Israel's Gaza operations that began on October 27, 2023.

• Israel-Hamas war
• Israel-Palestine war
• Hezbollah
• Hamas
• one year of Hamas attack