Jerusalem, Oct 7: Two years ago, on October 7, during the closing of the Jewish festival of Sukkot, Hamas militants launched a surprise and deadly assault on Israel, marking the bloodiest day in the nation's history.

The attack began when armed militants from Palestine breached the Gaza-Israel border, storming southern Israeli communities and a desert music festival with gunfire, rockets, and grenades.

Over a thousand people were killed, and 251 hostages were abducted into Gaza, of whom 48 remain in captivity -- including 25 that the Israeli military has declared dead.

The October 7 massacre coincided with Simchat Torah, a festive day immediately following Sukkot on the Hebrew calendar, and caught the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) completely off guard.

Israel's political and military leadership had reportedly dismissed intelligence warnings that Hamas was preparing for a major incursion, believing instead that the group ruling Gaza sought to maintain calm. Compounding the vulnerability, troop deployments were at their lowest due to the coincidence of the Sabbath and the festival on that day.

Across Israel, memorial events are being held to honour the victims killed in the attack, which reshaped the nation's sense of security and triggered a prolonged war with Hamas.

As the country observes the second anniversary, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has ordered the military to heighten its alert status to the highest level throughout the ongoing Sukkot holiday, the army announced.

The week-long festival began on Monday evening, with its first full day coinciding with the grim anniversary of the October 7, 2023, massacre.

Over the course of the war, Israel has significantly expanded its military operations, carrying out strikes across five regional capitals, including Tehran, and killing several senior Hamas figures along with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

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Both Israel and Hamas are now facing intensifying global calls to end the war.

Amid these pressures, diplomatic efforts have regained momentum. Recently, US President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point peace plan that calls for an immediate ceasefire once Hamas releases all hostages, followed by the group's disarmament and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Indirect negotiations began on Monday in Egypt's resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, where mediators are shuttling between delegations under heavy security.

While both Israel and Hamas have publicly welcomed Trump's proposal, reaching a consensus on its intricate details is expected to be a monumental challenge.

The conflict has previously seen two ceasefires, each facilitating the release of several hostages.

(IANS)

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