European Parliament marks first anniversary of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel

The European Parliament (EP) holds a plenary session in Strasbourg on Monday, October 7, to mark the first anniversary of the Hamas' attack on Israel.

The session will open with a statement by EP President Roberta Metsola, followed by a debate among MEPs.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups launched an unprecedented assault on southern Israel. Israel reported that 1,139 people were killed, mostly civilians and that Hamas fighters seized 251 hostages before returning to Gaza.

In response, Israel initiated an air campaign and a ground offensive into Gaza, where Palestinian authorities claim over 40,000 people have since been killed, although the death toll is thought to be much higher.

Hostilities have since escalated, leading to cross-border strikes between Israel and Iran, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, where Israel last week launched 'limited' ground operations in its conflict with Hezbollah.