Ceremonies, events, and protests are taking place across Canada today to commemorate the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
On this day last year, the attack resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis, while an additional 250 people were abducted and held hostage. This prompted a counter-offensive by Israel in Gaza, which, according to the health ministry, has resulted in more than 41,000 deaths.
Since then, Canadians have been mourning the loss of loved ones, participating in protests—some of which have led to arrests—organizing events at universities, and witnessing a spike in reports of hate crimes against both Jews and Muslims.
In response, police in Canada’s larger cities are enhancing security measures around Jewish and Muslim places of worship, as well as at commemorative events held in observance of October 7th.
Additionally, several protests are planned to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, including one in Montreal, which has been organized to support what is described as the fight for “total liberation.”
