Hamas' surprise 7 October attack resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, kicking off 12 months of violent fighting in the Middle East.
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One year on from the brutal attacks that sparked the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Israelis across the country commemorated the event with vigils held for those killed.
In Reʿim, a kibbutz in southern Israel, the last track from the Nova music festival played one year on from the surprise Hamas 7 October attack.
At 6:30 am local time — the exact hour Hamas launched its attack 12 months ago — the families of those killed at the Nova music festival gathered at the site where almost 400 revellers were gunned down by the terrorist-designated group, with many others taken hostage.
They were joined and embraced by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, with whom they stood for a moment of silence.
One woman’s piercing wail broke the silence as explosions from Gaza, just a few kilometres southwest, echoed from the fighting.
Hamas killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, one year ago, with 250 dragged into Gaza as hostages. The deadly event continues to cast a shadow over daily life in Israel, as multiple hostages have been announced dead in captivity.
Roughly 100 families of hostages still held in Gaza met outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Jerusalem residence to stand during a two-minute siren, replicating a custom from the most solemn dates on the Israeli calendar, Holocaust Remembrance and Memorial Day.
“We are here to remind (the hostages) that we haven’t forgotten them,” said Shiri Albag, whose daughter Liri is among the captives.
Albag added that she and the other families "wouldn't rest" until the remaining hostages were returned. Out of the 250 hostages who were originally captured by Hamas, around 97 remain unaccounted for — with some killed and others either rescued by IDF forces or returned home through an organised exchange.
Netanyahu and his government have come under increasing pressure domestically and abroad to broker a ceasefire deal with Hamas to end fighting in the Gaza Strip and return hostages.
Many of the families of those killed and taken captive in the attacks harbour resentment towards the Israeli government, for failing to prevent the assault as well as being unable to bring the remaining hostages home.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group set up to represent the families of the hostages, announced on Monday that Idan Shtivi was killed in the attacks on 7 October with his body being held by Hamas.
Shtivi, 29, was taken hostage after he attended the Nova music festival in order to photograph the event. Although confirming his death, the forum did not release details on how he died.
Israel will officially commemorate the date with a state ceremony prerecorded in the southern city of Ofakim that is set to air on Monday evening.
The event was originally planned to be much larger, but was since scaled back amidst safety concerns as Israel becomes further embroiled in an escalating conflict with Iran and Hezbollah, who have been firing missiles towards Israel's Iron Dome system in retaliation to Israeli attacks.