Calls for peace are intensifying around the world on Monday as people remember the deadly Hamas terror attack on Israel one year ago, that left over 1,200 Israelis dead and took around 250 hostages.
On the anniversary of the attack on Oct. 7, 2023, commemorations in Boston and around the world honored those killed that day in Israel and the tens of thousands more who have died in the escalating conflict that has followed.
At the Boston Public Garden, a memorial service was held for everyone affected by the war in the Middle East.
"We're here to mourn, and we're here in anger, and we're here in sadness and grief for all of the Israelis, all of the Palestinians and now all of the Lebanese," said Elizabeth Weinbloom, a member of IfNotNow.
In the year since Hamas' attack, the violence has spread to other areas of the Middle East, sparking a humanitarian crisis and worldwide protests.
More than 41,000 people have been killed in Gaza amid Israel's offensive since Oct. 7. Over 2,000 more have died in Lebanon in that time, the majority in the last few weeks.
Calls for action are coming from both sides, with protest groups calling for an end to Israeli attacks, the release of hostages and for an overall ceasefire.
"I'm feeling very heavy, it's a solemn day," said Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts.
Speaking at the service, Pressley said the path to peace is diplomacy.
"We have to work for peace," she told NBC10 Boston. "And that's why we have to engage every diplomatic tool available to us for a permanent ceasefire, and we have got to stop sending bombs."
