'We hope for peace': Halifax vigils remember lives lost one year after Hamas-Israel war began

Hundreds of people gathered at the Beth Israel Synagogue in Halifax Monday evening to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on Israel.

During the ceremony, candles were lit, and a moment of silence was observed.

"The reverberations have cascaded over to Nova Scotia and tonight is about solidarity with the hostages still in Gaza and our community as a whole to show that we are together," said Mark David, president of the Atlantic Jewish Council.

"We hope for peace and we are here to seek comfort in community."

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and other officials were at the synagogue memorial to show their support.

The attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and saw about 250 more abducted and held as hostages.

Around 100 of the hostages, a third of whom are believed to be dead, have not been returned.

The attack triggered a retaliatory Israeli offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip that the territory's health ministry says has left more than 41,000 Palestinians dead.

Another group gathered on the Halifax waterfront Monday evening for a vigil mourning the thousands of Palestinians who lost their lives.

Hundreds of people attended the waterfront vigil, some sharing stories of people who have died.

A dozen different groups helped organize the event. Organizers say it's time for a ceasefire.

"We're currently in 2024. There should be no wars happening anywhere in the world. The amount of innocent lives that have been taken is outrageous," said Ibrahim Manna, one of the organizers for the waterfront vigil.

"As a Palestinian, we do want the peace there. The intention is not about the war ... People want to have the rights to live freely just like everywhere else in the world."

Hundreds of people gathered on the Halifax waterfront on Oct. 7, 2024.

For the past year, the Hamas attack and the ensuing war have been at the heart of widespread protests, university encampments, and a spike in reports of hate crimes against Jews and Muslims.

With files from The Canadian Press