ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- One year ago Monday, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing 1,200 Jewish civilians and sparking the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War. Albany Jewish and Palestinian groups spoke out Monday, reflecting on what many said was a year of tragedy.
"Parents, grandparents, children, daughters and sons," explained Dr. Leonard Cutler, a pre-law advisor and professor of political science and international relations at Siena College. These were all of the groups of people killed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.
“It's as if it was just a day ago and as if it was 100 years ago because the world has changed," said Hank Greenberg, the spokesperson for the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York.
Dr. Cutler said it's not just the loss of lives that have been a tragedy.
"Not only the loss of human lives, which is immeasurable, but the total raging and destruction of homes, hospitals, schools," said Dr. Cutler.
This conflict goes back centuries and according to the Associated Press, 42,000 people have been killed in the last year. This includes over 40,000 Palestinians dead, and 96,000 more Palestinians wounded in Gaza.
“As a mother, it's been so agonizing to see the sheer number of children that have been massacred this past year," said Karen Carmeli, a member of the Palestinian Rights Committee Albany. "It is unbearable, and as I hold my son and feed him breakfast and give him a bath, I picture myself as a Palestinian mother, who's children are being killed."
NEWS10 spoke to a Jewish group, Jewish Voice for Peace on Sunday that believes the U.S. should stop the sale of arms to Israel -- which is similar to the Palestinian Rights Committee of Albany's desire.
"We here as a movement, are really demanding for an arms embargo," said Heather, a member of the Palestinian Rights Committee Albany.
However, other Jewish groups disagree. According to the Associated Press, around 251 people were taken hostage into Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, including about 66 hostages that are still being held, and about 35 hostages in Gaza that were killed.
"Jewish people have a right to defend themselves," said Greenberg.
“We certainly want to support Israel but is the U.S. going to be drawn into a ground war as a result of what's expanding in that region? That's a true crisis," said Dr. Cutler.
The war is now growing into countries like Lebanon. As of late Saturday, Israel stuck a Palestinian refugee camp in the north for the first time while targeting Hezbollah and Hamas. According to the Associated Press, Israel and Hezbollah have been firing across the Lebanon border nearly everyday since the initial Hamas attack.
“It's not ending, if anything, the war as we well recognize, is expanding and that's frightening," said Dr. Cutler.
Many worry that there is no ceasefire in sight.
“As a result where are we? Paralyzed. Paralyzed in terms of reaching an agreement to have a ceasefire and bring the hostages home," said Dr. Cutler.
People from both sides agree that stopping the loss of life is a priority.
“There is no way that any amount of Israeli pain can be healed by killing children, it needs to stop," said Carmeli.
“The Israeli government is not fighting a war against the Palestinian people, its fighting a war against terrorism," said Greenberg. “I think we can all agree that it's imperative that the hostages that remain in the hands of Hamas be returned that peace once again return to the Middle East and it cannot happen too soon."
There are a number of vigils happening tonight for both Palestinians and the Jewish community. For more information, visit the Palestinian Rights Committee Albany's website and the Jewish Federation of Northeast New York's website.
