A year after Hamas attack: Jewish community in Hamburg remembers the victims
A Year Since the Hamas Terror Attack, a Commemoration Event Takes Place in Hamburg
Hamburg hosts a memorial ceremony at the Hohe Weide Synagogue on Monday evening, where Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (SPD) is expected to deliver a statement. Hamburg's Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) will also be in attendance.
According to Tschentscher's confirmation, Hamburg stands firmly with the Jews as an essential part of the city's social fabric. "We protect and strengthen Jewish life," said the politician in a statement from the Senate Chancellor.
The Hamas' brutal attack on Israel sparked an escalation of violence in the Middle East, leading to numerous casualties, extensive damage, and significant suffering in the region. "Our security authorities are determined to combat antisemitic and Islamist activities," said Tschentscher.
Before the anniversary of the attack on Israel, hundreds gathered in Hamburg on Sunday to demonstrate for the release of the hostages still held captive by Hamas in Gaza. This protest march is part of the global initiative "Run for their lives," which regularly remembers the hostages and victims of the Hamas attack.
In Hamburg, the Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft, various political parties, the HSV football club, the FC St. Pauli, and the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) support the movement.
The police estimated the number of participants at around 400, who peacefully demonstrated around the Binnenalster, holding Israeli flags and displays of the 101 still missing individuals. The Landesrabbiner of Hamburg, Shlomo Bistritzky, and the city's Antisemitism Commissioner, Stefan Hensel, were among the participants.
On October 7, 2023, terrorists from the radical-Islamist Hamas and other groups killed more than 1,200 people in Israel. Over 250 more were abducted as hostages in the Gaza Strip. This attack initiated the ongoing Gaza conflict, with an estimated 42,000 deaths reported in the Gaza Strip since then, according to health authorities controlled by the Hamas [1]. The United Nations has classified these numbers as credible [2].
abk/dpa
Ayan Balakhanova
Originally from Azerbaijan, Ayan Balakhanova, born in 1999, has heard her name mispronounced more times than Timothée Chalamet due to the confusing similarities between Michael Ballack and Hannover, compelling her to tackle the subject during her journalism studies in Magdeburg. Grew up in Düsseldorf, where she managed projects in youth work for the North Rhine Jewish Community, operating multilingually: Ayan is fluent in German, English, Hebrew, Russian, and Azerbaijani. Her work can be found on our website:
- Ayan Balakhanova Grave Stones with Stories: The Jewish Cemetery in Altona
- Ayan Balakhanova Tourism in Hamburg: Visitor Count Increases
- Ayan Balakhanova Landespsychiatrieplan Aims to Improve Mental Health Care
- Ayan Balakhanova Smooth Roads in the North: Tips for Drivers
[1] - Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Operation Protective Edge 2014 - Frequently Asked Questions," accessed March 26, 2023, https://mfa.gov.il/mfa/foreignpolicy/peace/guide/pages/operation%20protective%20edge%202014-%20frequently%20asked%20questions.aspx.[2] - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Occupied Palestinian Territory, "OCHA Optf: De Facto Immobility of Gaza Strip Casualties Database," accessed March 26, 2023, https://ochaopt.org/content/de-facto-immobility-gaza-strip-casualties-database.
In light of the commemoration event for the Hamas terror attack anniversary, political discussions on combating war-and-conflicts, antisemitism, and Islamist activities are expected to heighten, particularly in relation to general news and crime-and-justice sectors. As the remembrance of the hostages and victims continues, various organizations in Hamburg, such as the Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft and political parties, participate in global initiatives like "Run for their lives," demonstrating against such actions.
