Rallies in Vancouver mark anniversary of Oct. 7 attacks on Israel

NOTE: This story covers events held in Vancouver, B.C. on Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday, Oct. 6.

Monday marks one year since attacks in Israel by the militant group Hamas killed more than 1,000 people, sparking a conflict that has since spread across the Middle East and claimed thousands more lives.

Rallies and vigils were held around the world over the weekend to mark the sombre anniversary, including in Vancouver, where hundreds of members of the Jewish community gathered at the Burrard Bridge on Sunday to honour the victims and call for the release of hostages still held by Hamas.

The rally took place a day after pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery to call for an end to the escalating conflict.

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas militants killed around 1,200 people — including several Canadian citizens — and took another 250 hostage in surprise attacks on Israel, according to Israeli tallies. Around 100 hostages still remain unaccounted for.

Attendees at the Burrard Bridge rally carried banners with images of hostages, and waved Israeli flags alongside those of India, Canada, the U.S., Russia, and pre-revolutionary Iran in a show of solidarity.

Masha Kleiner, one of the rally's organizers, told CBC News the event was a way for the Jewish community to come together to "grieve and reflect on all the horrible things that happened."

Kleiner, who has lived in Vancouver for over 15 years, recalls being at home when she first learned about the attacks.

"We didn't clearly understand the scale and the horror of the event," she added. "The brutality of the event slowly unpacked."

Sheila Sontz said her cousin is still being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas.

She said another six family members, including two children aged three and eight, managed to escape captivity in an exchange during a brief ceasefire in November 2023.

"[For me], it's a lot more real than when it's just a news thing on TV," she said.

Calls for peace, end to arms sales

In response to the Oct. 7 attacks, Israel launched an offensive on the neighbouring Gaza Strip, in which more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed and at least 94,000 more wounded, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Israel has also retaliated to missile attacks by the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group, leading to more than 1,000 more deaths in that country, according to the Lebanese government.

The Israeli military has since launched a ground invasion of Lebanon targeting Hezbollah.

Fears over the escalating conflict have led to widespread calls for peace, including from demonstrators at the pro-Palestinian rally on Saturday.

Rawan Hassan, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement, said the group was demanding an end to the violence and calling on the federal government to stop selling arms to Israel.

"We are having large gatherings like this because people are coming to terms with their consciences, seeing the death toll, seeing the destruction, and they're saying this needs to end, this needs to stop," Hassan said. 

Sid Shniad, a founding member of Independent Jewish Voices Canada, also joined the pro-Palestinian rally. He emphasized that not all Jews support Israel's military actions.

"As members of the Jewish community, we're reaching out in solidarity with the Palestinian community," he said. "To say that there are Jews who are not on side with [the attacks on Gaza], that we condemn it unreservedly."

Since the Oct. 7 attacks last year, there have been more than 340 protests related to the conflict in the Middle East in the city, the Vancouver Police Department says.

Ahead of the anniversary, authorities said they had increased their presence in key locations, working closely with both Jewish and Muslim community leaders to maintain safety.