Tuesday marked two years since Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel that ignited the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, with leaders around the world issuing statements reflecting on the violence, the suffering that followed and the urgent need for peace.
European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc “will never forget the horror of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 and the pain they caused to innocent victims, their families and the entire people of Israel.” She added, “We honor their memory by working tirelessly for peace. The immediate release of all hostages and a ceasefire are now within reach ... This moment must be seized to pave the way for a lasting peace in the region, based on the two-state solution.”
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October 7 memorial in Berlin
(Photo: REUTERS/Lisi Niesner, AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
French President Emmanuel Macron said the pain from “the unspeakable horror of Hamas terrorism” remains raw. “We do not forget,” he said. “I reiterate France’s call: the release of all hostages and a ceasefire must take place without delay.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the “massacre carried out by Hamas terrorists against thousands of defenseless and innocent Israeli civilians, including women and children,” calling Oct. 7 “one of the darkest pages in history.” She added that while Hamas’ violence triggered “an unprecedented crisis in the Middle East,” Israel’s military response “has gone beyond any principle of proportionality, claiming too many innocent lives among Gaza’s civilian population.” Meloni urged support for “the peace plan presented by President Trump,” calling it a “precious and fragile opportunity.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack “the worst on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.” He said, “Time does not diminish the evil we saw that day. Since that awful day, so many have endured a living nightmare. Our priority in the Middle East remains the same — release the hostages, surge aid into Gaza, and secure a ceasefire that can lead to a lasting and just peace as a step toward a two-state solution: a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state.”
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Hamas’ “horrific terrorist attack on Israel” targeted “families, women, children and dancing youth.” He said it was “the worst mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust.” Kristersson also addressed the rise in antisemitism in Sweden, saying, “There is no place for antisemitism in Sweden. Jews in Sweden should be able to proudly wear the Star of David, visit the synagogue and leave their children in Jewish schools. All Swedish Jews should know that we stand behind you.”
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said his thoughts were with “all those affected on that painful day, and with everyone still living with the deep trauma and lasting repercussions.” He said Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism, but its response “has gone far beyond the limits set by international law, humanitarian law and human rights.” He added, “Gaza lies in ruins and the Palestinian population has been subjected to unimaginable suffering.”
The Hamas-led assault on Oct. 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 people in Israel, most of them civilians, and saw around 250 others taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, according to local health officials, and displaced much of the territory’s population, leaving the enclave in a prolonged humanitarian crisis.