Middle East: On the anniversary of the massacre, the Middle East is on the brink

On the first anniversary of the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th with 1,200 deaths, concerns are growing about a conflagration in the Middle East. Despite calls for a ceasefire, Israel launched a new ground offensive in the north of the Gaza Strip. The images of tanks rolling through sandy terrain resemble those from the beginning of the war last October.

According to its own statements, Israel is waging a multi-front war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon and against militias also allied with Iran in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. However, the greatest danger lies in an escalation with Iran. After Iran’s missile attack last Tuesday, Israel has announced a “significant response.” The only thing that remained unclear was when, where and how. Iran has already threatened a “much harsher” reaction in this case than last week.

It all started with a surprise attack by Hamas in the early morning of October 7th last year. It was the worst massacre of Israeli civilians in one day since the War of Independence in 1948. Thousands of Hamas gunmen and other extremists from the Gaza Strip broke through the Israeli barrier to the coastal area, which was considered insurmountable.

For Israel, the massacre was a severe shock

On the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah (Joy of the Torah), women, men, children and the elderly were killed in Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip. Survivors reported horrific violence, rape and mutilation. Many of the victims were young participants at a festival in the Negev Desert. This was a huge shock for Israeli society that still has an impact today. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not want to allow the question of how the highly equipped army was completely taken by surprise to be addressed until after the war.

Israel has come under international criticism for its harsh actions and the high number of deaths in its military operations in the Gaza Strip and now also in Lebanon. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, around 42,000 people have died in the coastal area since October 7th, around a third of them children and young people. The authority does not differentiate between armed people and civilians. The UN has classified this information as credible.

Israel has not yet achieved its war goals

In addition, according to the UN, large parts of the Gaza Strip are in ruins. Nevertheless, Netanyahu has not achieved the war goals of destroying Hamas and retrieving more than 100 hostages. Israel accuses Hamas of operating in residential areas, hospitals, school buildings and mosques and using civilians as human shields. A genocide lawsuit brought by South Africa against Israel is pending before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) once again called on all those involved to comply with international humanitarian law. People’s dignity must be respected. “They are endowed with rights and are entitled to protection, humanitarian assistance and the opportunity to build a new life in safety,” the ICRC said.

Israel remembers the victims of the terrorist attack

In Israel, numerous commemorative events are planned for the anniversary of the massacre on Monday, in particular to commemorate the Israeli victims and the hostages still held in the Gaza Strip. Relatives and friends of the hostages called for a demonstration in front of Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem.

The head of government wanted to give an address to the nation on television. President Isaac Herzog planned to travel on Tuesday morning for a three-day trip to the kibbutzim and other places where the massacres took place. “We are all still suffering, and we want to give space to the national grief, to the tears over the terrible catastrophe that has struck us,” his office said.

Even before the anniversary, thousands of people attended rallies

In Rome, there were sometimes violent clashes between demonstrators and police officers at an unauthorized pro-Palestine demonstration. Tens of thousands of people took part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in London on Saturday. According to police, well over 1,000 people took part in a pro-Palestinian protest march in Berlin on Saturday, and around 650 came to a pro-Israel gathering.

Central Council: Inhibition threshold for violence against Jews is falling

The Central Council of Jews sees considerable dangers for Jewish life in Germany. “The inhibition threshold to call for and carry out violence against Jews is decreasing,” said Central Council President Josef Schuster to the German Press Agency. “This is a shocking development that we cannot simply accept.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) once again pledged full solidarity to the Jews in Germany.

Israeli army continues attacks in Lebanon

In Lebanon, the Israeli army continued its attacks against the Hezbollah militia. During the night, the air force carried out “a series of targeted attacks” on a number of Hezbollah weapons depots and “terrorist infrastructure facilities” in the area of ​​the capital Beirut, the army announced in the morning. By morning, the state agency NNA reported around 25 attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut, and local media also reported massive attacks during the night and in the morning.

The Health Ministry said more than 2,000 people have been killed and nearly 10,000 others injured since new confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah began in Lebanon a year ago. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and Hezbollah fighters. According to its own account, Hezbollah also fired rockets and drones at Israel.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli tank units advanced into the Jabalia area in the northeast, the army said. Hamas tried to regroup in the area. All information provided by both sides could not initially be independently verified.