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Israel Marks Somber Anniversary Amid Ongoing Gaza Peace Talks
• Politics, Crime, Opinion, Israel, Hamas, Gaza, peace talks, hostages, military offensive, memorial, October 7 attack, US peace plan, Sharm el-Sheikh, ceasefire, humanitarian aid, Israeli military, negotiations, casualties, echosphere.news, Israel Marks Somber Anniversary Amid Ongoing Gaza Peace Talks
Two years after the tragic attack on October 7, 2023, Israelis commemorate the losses while new negotiations unfold in Egypt regarding a peace plan for 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.
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. 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.
The talks are focused on five key issues: a permanent ceasefire; the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners; 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 arrive in Egypt to further the discussions. Meanwhile, demonstrations have taken place in Israel, underscoring the enduring uncertainty faced by families of the hostages still in captivity.
In Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, one survivor reflects on the sense of loss and the ongoing fear that looms over the community. When we see everybody home again, we can breathe again. Then we can start to recover, she shared.
Amid these somber events, fighting continues in Gaza, intensifying fears of humanitarian crises as the region braces for further developments. Reports indicate that air and artillery strikes persist, with the health system in Gaza struggling under significant pressure, emphasizing the desperate situation faced by civilians.