Vigils to mark one year since start of Israel-Hamas war

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- October 7th marks one year since the Hamas terror attack where over 250 hostages were kidnapped.

The attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

Over the past year, Palestinian Health Officials have reported more than 41-thousand deaths. War has raged between Hamas and Israel for the past year with Israel facing criticism for its wartime conduct. Vigils have been held around the world for the past several days to remember those impacted by the ongoing war.

In downtown Fresno candles, signs, and Palestinian flags were carried into a vigil to remember the lives lost in the year since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Standing in a circle people took turns to share thoughts, feelings, and poetry.

"We heard the words collective grief going around tonight and I think its really important to be able to voice your opinions and talk about your sadness collectively as a group," said Biane Shahim, Palestinian Liberation Group.

Tealight candles surrounded a list of tens of thousands of names of those lost in Gaza throughout the war.

"I think it's important to have people's names because even though we can't have their photos and their stories at least having their names so we can recognize them one by one is really important," said Shahim.

In Northwest Fresno, in the midst of The Jewish High Holy Days, Rabbi Rick Winer led an additional service marking one year since the Hamas terror attack. and the kidnapping of 250 hostages.

"Today is an extension of the year," said Winer. "We've been dealing with this certainly since October 7th and in some cases before of just the intensity of to some extent of feeling alone in the world the Jewish community has been targeted everywhere throughout the world."

In the back corner of the room, dozens of photos with "kidnapped" written across the top filled the wall.

"These are not nameless, faceless people," said Winer. "These are real people under horrific circumstances. And there are people in Gaza, there are people in the West Bank there are people in Lebanon just as the many people in Israel who are victims of the extremism."

At both, feelings of heartbreak and sadness as the war rages on, hostages are kept from their loved ones, and more lives are lost.

But still hope that one day peace can and will be found, but only when weapons are laid down.

"I wanna see honestly peace," said Shahim. "Nothing can happen unless bombs are stopped being dropped. You can't really talk or have a condusive conversation if there's still death and violence. I think the first thing we have to do is have a ceasefire and then we can talk and discuss further on."

"First we would love to see the hostages reunited with their loved ones and we would love to see everyone set down their weapons and turn to a productive, peaceful coexistence," said Winer.

Both Rabbi Rick and Shahim encouraged people to reach out to their elected officials and vote to create change across the world.

For news updates, follow Kate Nemarich on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.