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Israel marks a year since Hamas' music festival attack

One year after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, it is a somber day of remembrance in Israel and around the world.
People call for the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's house.
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One year after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, it is a somber day of remembrance in Israel and around the world. Around 100 hostages captured that day are still being held and ceasefire efforts are stalled.

Traumatized survivors and heartbroken families gathered at the scene of the Nova Music Festival. At least 364 people were killed there in the Hamas attack one year ago. Many others were taken hostage.

Flags flew at half-staff outside Israel's parliament. At the monument honoring the victims, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined Jerusalem's mayor to light candles.

"We went through a terrible massacre a year ago, and we stood up as a people, as lions," Netanyahu said.

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At Netanyahu's home a siren sounded, where hostage families are pressing him to bring back their relatives, underscoring the debate over the push to destroy Hamas versus reaching an agreement to free the captives.

Families are clinging to hope.

"We hope that they are being held with others so they can comfort each other, lean on each other and we will not stop fighting for him," said Adi Alexander, whose son Edan was kidnapped by Hamas.

At the White House, President Biden and the first lady lit a memorial candle.

Today, the day of the anniversary, the Israeli military says projectiles and rockets were fired from Gaza, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv.

In the past year, Gaza authorities say more than 40,000 Palestinians — civilians and Hamas fighters — have been killed.