STORY: :: Israel's Netanyahu marks October 7 anniversary at Jerusalem's 'Iron Sword' monument

:: October 7, 2024

:: Jerusalem

:: "On this day, in this place, and in many places in our country, we remember our fallen, our hostages, that we are obliged to return, and our heroes who fell for the defense of the homeland and the land. We went through a terrible massacre a year ago, and we stood up as a people, as lions - a people that rises like a lioness,

leaps up like a lion."

Netanyahu lit a candle at the monument.

Monday was the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which has given rise to a multi-front conflict across the Middle East as Israel sharply escalates its campaign against the Iranian-backed militant movement Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Hamas-led militants stormed through Israeli towns and kibbutz villages near the border on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to the small coastal enclave's health ministry, displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population, and caused a hunger and health crisis.