Thousands in the French Jewish and pro-Israel community gathered in Paris on Sunday to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The evening opened with the song “Sad Roses,” performed by Israeli musician Idan Raichel. It also featured testimonies from the families of the hostages, including representatives of Erez Kalderon, Ohad Yahalomi and Yonatan Samarnu.
As part of the ceremony, the wills of two fallen soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces—Ben Zussman and Adi Leon, who lost their lives battling Hamas in the Gaza Strip—were read aloud from the stage. Afterwards, participants joined in a collective prayer calling for the safe return of the 101 hostages and the protection of soldiers in the IDF stationed at the country’s borders.
Ayelet Samarnu, the mother of Yonatan Samarnu, who was shot and kidnapped on Oct. 7, shared an emotional message: “The young people who went to the Nova music festival came to dance and celebrate. They were individuals who embraced life, loved the world and didn’t care about religion, gender, or political identity. My son, my dear Yonatan, I am waiting for you. Along with the other 100 hostages, please come back to us swiftly.”
The event was organized by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), the Israeli Embassy in France, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Hayesod and the World Zionist Organization, in addition to a number of local organizations.
