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.
