On Monday, Israel marked the first anniversary of the deadly Hamas attack that triggered a war, now threatening to engulf the broader Middle East in conflict. Ceremonies and protests began at 6:29 a.m., the exact moment Hamas militants launched rockets on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages. The assault, one of Israel’s worst security failures, has left the nation in a state of heightened alert amid fears of further Palestinian attacks on the anniversary.

While the Israeli military continues its offensive to end Hamas' rule in Gaza and eliminate its military power, the death toll has been staggering. According to Palestinian health authorities, nearly 42,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed, and over 2 million people have been displaced. In the north, the conflict has escalated as Hezbollah, backed by Iran, joined the fray with missile attacks on Israel from Lebanon.

The year of war has shaken Israel’s faith in its leadership, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing criticism for failing to address the Palestinian issue. His rejection of the U.S.-led peace initiative offering Palestinian statehood in exchange for Israeli-Saudi diplomatic recognition has contributed to the collapse of potential diplomatic solutions.

Iran’s missile attack on Israel on October 1 heightened fears of a wider regional war. Despite Israeli efforts to destroy Hezbollah’s capabilities through intense bombings and ground offensives in Lebanon, the threat remains potent. Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 Hezbollah fighters, displaced over a million people in Lebanon, and carried out a successful assassination campaign against top Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.

As the conflict deepens, hopes for peace seem distant, and the Middle East teeters on the brink of further destabilization, with no clear resolution in sight.