Remembering October 7 2023

Three years on, I remember the horrific events of October 7.The Hamas-led attack killed more than 1,200 people and saw 251 people abducted into Gaza. Those are facts that should not be forgotten. I  remember innocent lives lost, the families forever changed,lives shatterred and all those who continue to carry the pain of October 7.

But remembering October 7 should not become a justification for collective punishment or endless suffering. Israeli and Palestinian civilians have both paid an unbearable price. We should remember the victims, demand accountability for crimes committed by all sides. 

I remember  the wave of destruction in Gaza and the terrible suffering Palestinians have experienced since. Israel has killed and continues to kill hundreds of thousands more than they lost on Oct 7 (and they killed some of their own that day as well, not to mention Bibi's refusal to do anything in response to warnings) October 7 marked the beginning of a monstrous genocidal onslaught that  has not yet ended.

Since October 7, 2023, the terrible ongoing violence against innocent civilians in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 70,000 Palestinians mostly civilians. Supposedly in response to Hamas’s attacks, in the name of “self-defense”, the far-right extremist Israeli government did not take the time for reflection, mourning, or negotiations for the release of hostages. 

Instead, they immediately sought “revenge” as a cover for land theft, while collectively blaming and punishing the entire population of Gaza, including countless children, for Hamas’s actions. 

The corruption and brutality of this genocidal vengeance has been unprecedented, atrocious, tragic, and infuriating. 

The ongoing incremental dispossession of the Palestinian people has reached a crescendo, where Palestinian civilians are being murdered while  being denigrated as “human animals”, “terrorists” or “terrorist supporters.”  This is not war. It is genocide.   

I also acknowledge Palestinians have lived through their own October 7s for decades.For decades, Palestinians in Gaza have lived through displacement, occupation, blockade, repeated Israeli aggressions, and the loss of thousands of lives.  

As we remember the third year of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, we must look beyond October 7 to the history that shaped the lives of Palestinians long before that day. I refuse to reduce this history to a single day or indulge in a one-sided account. If we talk about October 7 without talking about what happened in the years before it, we are missing important context. History did not begin that morning. There was already a long and painful history behind it.

I do though call today, and every day, for an end to the violence, for peace and safety for all. For me, remembering October 7 must mean holding on to our humanity and refusing to accept endless conflict as inevitable. Standing firmly against the dehumanization of innocent lives, regardless of nationality or political affiliation.Every person, regardless of their background, deserves freedom, opportunity, dignity, life, love, and nourishment.We must keep pushing for a future where all peoples can live with dignity, security and peace.