On the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks, we pause to reflect on the horrific terrorist atrocity that reverberated around the globe.
October 7 is a day that carries terrible pain. Over 1,200 innocent Israelis died: the largest loss of Jewish life on any single day since the Holocaust.
We unequivocally condemn Hamas’ actions on that day.
Innocent lives taken at a music festival. Women, men and children killed in their homes. Brutality that was inflicted with cold calculation.
Today, we also think of the hostages whose lives remain suspended in the fear and isolation of captivity. For their loved ones, this past year must have felt like an eternity – the agony of waiting and not knowing, or of having the terrible truth confirmed.
Since the atrocities of October 7, Jewish Australians have felt the cold shadows of antisemitism reaching into the present day – and as a nation we say never again.
We unequivocally condemn all prejudice and hatred. There is no place in Australia for discrimination against people of any faith.
As we mourn and reflect, we also re-affirm a fundamental principle of our shared humanity: every innocent life matters.
We recognise the distress the conflict has caused here in Australia.
Sorrow knows no boundaries and recognises no differences.
The number of civilians who have lost their lives is a devastating tragedy.
Today, we reflect on the truth of our shared humanity, of the hope that peace is possible, and the belief that it belongs to all people.
