BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermonters are among those marking the one anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas.
Hamas’ surprise cross-border attack one year ago — which caught Israelis unprepared on a major Jewish holiday — shook their faith in their leaders and their military. The militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted another 250. Around 100 hostages have not been returned, a third of whom are believed to be dead, and cease-fire efforts have ground to a halt.
The Jewish community in Burlington and students at the University of Vermont are commemorating the day.
Students outside the Davis Center set up 1,200 Israeli flags, each representing a life lost to the Hamas attack. Students and staff with UVM Hillel and Chabad at UVM were holding conversation circles and guided moments of reflection.
Thomas Waldman, president of UVM Students Supporting Israel, says he hopes the display helps his peers understand the scale of harm. “It’s been a day a lot of us have been dreading. One — to memorialize the attacks, and two — because every day that passes is another day our hostages remain in captivity. Things have been tense for Jewish students on campus over the past year. Thankfully, today has gone pretty smoothly,” he said.
UVM’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine was suspended earlier this school year following violations of campus policies in connection with the encampment earlier this year. Officials with Vermonters for Justice in Palestine were not available for comment.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Monday issued a statement saying that he joined those in mourning those who died that day, as well as the many other innocent civilians killed in the subsequent fighting. “We also know tens of thousands more have died in the year since, including many Palestinian civilians. They should also be in our thoughts today. “The resolution to this conflict is complex. But instead of letting it further divide us, I hope Vermonters come together around a shared belief that expressions of hate in America are unacceptable and do nothing to achieve lasting peace where there is war,” Scott said.
