By Alexandra Sharp
Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at the anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Balochi separatists targeting Chinese nationals in Pakistan, and Ukraine hitting a Russian oil terminal.
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Remembering Oct. 7
People gather to mark the first anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel in Tel Aviv.Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images
Monday marked one year since Hamas launched its brutal attack on Israel—killing around 1,200 people, kidnapping roughly 250 others, and sparking a larger conflict that has spiraled toward all-out regional war. Hundreds of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square and at the sites of several Oct. 7 massacres, including the Nova music festival and Nir Oz kibbutz, to remember those killed during the deadliest day in Israel’s history.
Many world leaders used the anniversary to reiterate their support for Israel and its right to self-defense. U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the “unspeakable brutality” of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the world must “unequivocally stand with the Jewish community”; and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on the global community to condemn Hamas’s “abhorrent acts” and urged the group to release the Israelis still in captivity. Around 100 hostages remain in Gaza, of whom dozens are believed to be dead.
Memorials took place in numerous countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and the United States. In Berlin, a yellow ribbon was displayed on the German Chancellery to represent the hostages, and the names of those killed and abducted were read out from the Brandenburg Gate. Three Jewish-affiliated groups scheduled a commemoration event for Monday evening in New York City’s Central Park featuring musical performances, prayer, and a candle lighting.
At the same time, many foreign leaders also acknowledged the suffering that Palestinians have endured during the yearlong war. More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in the past 12 months, many of whom were civilians, and nearly 97,000 others have been injured. Almost all of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents have been internally displaced, catalyzing a widespread humanitarian crisis.
Pope Francis said “the fuse of hatred” had been lit a year ago and “exploded in a spiral of violence—in the shameful inability of the international community and the most powerful countries to silence the weapons and put an end to the tragedy of war.”
Many pro-Palestinian demonstrations also took place around the world on Monday—including in New York City, Sydney, and the Pakistani city of Karachi—to protest Israel’s forceful military response.
Meanwhile, fighting continued in the Middle East, with Palestinian militants firing rockets at Israel from southern Gaza and Israel responding with airstrikes. Israel also doubled down on its fight against Hezbollah on Monday, targeting around 120 sites in southern Lebanon within the space of an hour. In response, Hezbollah said it is “confident” in its ability to repel Israel’s offensive, just as the militant group fired rockets at Israel’s third-largest city, Haifa.
“The war that has raged over the past year continues to shatter lives and inflict profound human suffering for Israelis, Palestinians, and now the people of Lebanon,” said Tor Wennesland, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process. “Violence begets violence, and in these moments of grief, we must reaffirm our commitment to peace.”
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Today’s Most Read
The World This Week
Tuesday, Oct. 8: Laos begins hosting the Association of Southeast Asian States’ summit.
Legislative election results from Jammu and Kashmir are released.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte hosts Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Brussels.
Wednesday, Oct. 9: Croatia hosts a summit of leaders from Southeast Europe and Ukraine.
Mozambique holds a general election.
The U.N. General Assembly elects new members to the Human Rights Council.
Thursday, Oct. 10: Biden begins a three-day visit to Germany.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosts European Council President-elect António Costa in Berlin.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visits Moldova to meet with President Maia Sandu.
Sunday, Oct. 13: The World Health Summit begins in Berlin.
Lithuania holds legislative elections.
Biden begins a three-day trip to Angola.
What We’re Following
Terrorist attack in Pakistan. An explosion near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi killed two Chinese nationals late Sunday and injured at least 10 other people. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, has claimed responsibility. Officials said the terrorist attack targeted a convoy of engineers and investors from the Port Qasim Electric Power Company ahead of Islamabad hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization next week.
“Pakistan stands committed to safeguarding our Chinese friends,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X. “We will leave no stone unturned to ensure their security [and] well-being.”
The BLA seeks independence for the Balochistan province and has accused Beijing of helping Islamabad exploit the region. Past attacks have targeted the strategic port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, which marks one end of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor; Beijing’s consulate in Karachi; and Chinese citizens working in the area. Since August, more than 70 people have been killed in coordinated BLA attacks.
Oil targets. The Ukrainian military hit a major oil terminal in Russian-occupied Crimea on Monday. Kyiv’s General Staff said the facility in Feodosia, the largest oil processing site on the peninsula, had been supplying the Russian army with fuel for its war against Ukraine. The Black Sea terminal was previously targeted in a Ukrainian drone strike in March.
Monday’s operation was part of Kyiv’s ongoing effort to “undermine the military and economic potential” of Moscow, according to Ukrainian officials. As Kyiv moves back on the defensive, Ukraine has targeted oil depots, refineries, and armories to impair the Kremlin’s ability to support its front-line units in the occupied eastern Donetsk region.
Also on Monday, a Russian court sentenced a U.S. citizen to nearly seven years in prison for fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. Stephen Hubbard, who pleaded guilty to the charges in September, signed a contract with the Ukrainian military for around $1,000 a month shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and he fought with Ukrainian troops until he was captured two months later. He is the first known American to be convicted for acting as a mercenary for Kyiv.
Adoption lawsuit. A South Korean woman sued her government, an adoption agency, and an orphanage on Monday over her daughter’s wrongful adoption, saying her then-4-year-old child was sent to the United States in 1976 just months after being kidnapped. The prosecution is seeking $445,000 in damages from Seoul.
Han Tae-soon, the mother, was part of an Associated Press investigation detailing how the South Korean government collaborated with adoption agencies and other child services to send around 200,000 children obtained via dubious means overseas. These methods included falsifying paperwork, kidnapping, and removing newborns from their birth parents. Han reunited with her daughter in 2019 through DNA testing.
Odds and Ends
The first Nobel Prize of the year was awarded on Monday to U.S. scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun. The two biologists won the Nobel in physiology or medicine for their work on the discovery of microRNA, which is a molecule that governs how cells function. This could pave the way for advancements in gene regulation to help treat diseases such as cancer, hearing loss, and skeletal disorders. Stay tuned tomorrow for the Nobel Prize in physics.
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