Photos: Triangle Jewish, Palestinian communities gather on Oct. 7 attack anniversary

Communities around the Triangle gathered Monday to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel — and the lives lost that day and throughout the ensuing, and ongoing, war in Gaza.

More than 1,200 people were killed Oct. 7, 2023, when the terrorist group launched an attack during a music festival in Israel. Hamas took more than 250 people hostage during the attack, including 12 Americans. Four of the American hostages were released last November; four, including Chapel Hill native Keith Siegel, remain in captivity; and four were killed, according to the U.S. Department of State.

Nearly 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s counter-campaign against Hamas as of late September, according to a count from the health ministry in Gaza reported by Reuters.

Monday, hundreds attended a service organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh that offered a “night of compassion and support.”

Surrounded by photos of the over 1,200 people killed on Oct. 7, attendees listened to music, prayer and speakers as they reflected on the attacks.

Sagi Gabay was one of the speakers. He attended the NOVA music festival last year when Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel. More than 380 people were killed at the music festival, and Gabay said that included five friends who were at the festival with him that day.

Attendees wiped tears from their eyes as Gabay spoke and showed videos from the day.

“People who just came to celebrate life and freedom…find themselves running for their lives and getting slaughtered and raped and kidnapped,” he said.

The service in Raleigh concluded with a prayer for the hostages as well as an interfaith prayer for peace.

Events remember lives lost

The conflict has become a flashpoint in American life and politics, particularly as the Nov. 5 general election approaches.

And tensions have been heightened on college campuses around the country as the war in Gaza has resulted in thousands of casualties.

UNC Hillel, a Jewish student organization, hosted several events on the Chapel Hill campus for students and other community members to mourn the lives lost in Israel, including an evening memorial service.

“As we reflect on the past year, we are filled with both sorrow and hope,” the organization wrote on Instagram. “The tragic events of October 7 left a lasting mark on our heats, and today, we stand together to remember, heal, and live our lives in honor of those who cannot. Together, let’s continue to find light in our shared history, celebrate Jewish pride, and work toward a future filled with peace and unity.”

Elsewhere on the UNC campus, the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine held a vigil at the Old Well to honor “martyrs killed by the Israeli occupation over the past year.” A few hundred people attended the event, which remained calm and somber. It was a stark contrast to the group’s spring protests, which became chaotic after police moved in to disband a four-day tent encampment on Polk Place.

“Do not ignore the pain and anger and sadness you may feel,” a speaker at the event told the crowd. “It is a reflection of your humanity.”

Here are photos from events around the Triangle on Monday from photojournalists Ethan Hyman and Kaitlin McKeown.

This story was originally published October 8, 2024 at 6:00 AM.

Korie Dean

The News & Observer

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Korie Dean covers higher education in the Triangle and across North Carolina for The News & Observer, where she is also part of the state government and politics team. She is a graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at UNC-Chapel Hill and a lifelong North Carolinian.