On this day last year, the sun rose on what was supposed to be a joyous Jewish holiday; President Biden began his official statement from the White House, marking one year since the October 7 attack.
"By sunset, October 7 had become the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust," Biden said in his statement. "Today marks one year of mourning for the more than 1,200 innocent people of all ages, including 46 Americans, massacred in southern Israel by the terrorist group Hamas."
One year since Hamas committed horrific acts of sexual violence, since more than 250 innocents, including 12 Americans, were taken hostage and one year for the survivors "carrying wounds, seen and unseen, who will never be the same."
"And one year of a devastating war," he added.
"On this solemn anniversary, let us bear witness to the unspeakable brutality of the October 7th attacks but also to the beauty of the lives that were stolen that day," Biden said.
Memories of a Milennia
Biden acknowledged that October 7 brought to the surface "painful memories left by millennia" of hatred and violence against the Jewish people and that's why soon after the attack he became the first American president to visit Israel in a time of war.
"I made clear then to the people of Israel: you are not alone," he said. "One year later, Vice President Harris and I remain fully committed to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel and its right to exist."
Biden said he and Harris support Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and Iran.
"Last week, at my direction, the United States military once again actively assisted in the successful defense of Israel, helping to defeat an Iranian ballistic missile attack," he said.
Biden said today, and every day, he thinks of the hostages and their families, with whom he's met and grieved with.
"They have been through hell," he said. "My Administration has negotiated for the safe release of more than 100 hostages, including Americans. We will never give up until we bring all of the remaining hostages home safely."
Biden said he also strongly condemns the "vicious surge in antisemitism" in America and around the world, saying it's unacceptable and "all of us must stand united against antisemitism and against hate in all its forms."
Biden added he believes history will remember October 7 as a "dark day for the Palestinian people" because of the conflict that Hamas unleashed that day.
"Far too many civilians have suffered far too much during this year of conflict — and tens of thousands have been killed, a human toll made far worse by terrorists hiding and operating among innocent people," he said.
Biden said his administration will not stop working to achieve a ceasefire deal in Gaza that brings the hostages home, allows for a surge in humanitarian aid to ease the suffering on the ground, assures Israel’s security and "ends this war."
Biden said Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve to live in security, dignity and peace, adding the administration also continues to believe a diplomatic solution across the Israel-Lebanon border is the only path to restore "lasting calm" and allow residents on both sides to return safely to their homes.
"On this day of remembrance, which also falls during the holiest days of the Jewish calendar, we honor the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people and mourn the victims of October 7th," he said. "May their memory be a blessing."
In a separate statement from the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris said she'll "never forget" the horror of October 7.
"What Hamas did that day was pure evil – it was brutal and sickening. And it has rekindled a deep fear among the Jewish people not just in Israel, but in the United States and around the world," Harris said in her statement. "The long, extraordinary arc of Jewish history is full of pogroms and prejudice, slaughter and separation. And now, in our own generation, there is another moment that the world must never forget."
Harris said she is devastated by the loss and pain of the Israeli people as a result of the heinous October 7 attack.
"Doug and I pray for the families of the victims and hope they find solace in remembering the lives their loved ones lived," she said.
We also pray for the safety of Jewish people all around the world and must ensure nothing like the horrors of October 7 ever happen again, Harris added.
"I will do everything in my power to ensure that the threat Hamas poses is eliminated, that it is never again able to govern Gaza, that it fails in its mission to annihilate Israel, and that the people of Gaza are free from the grip of Hamas," she said.
Harris said she will never stop fighting for the release of all the hostages, including the seven American citizens, living and deceased, still held: Omer, Edan, Sagui, Keith, Judy, Gad, and Itay.
"I will never stop fighting for justice for those who murdered Hersh Goldberg-Polin and other Americans," she said. "And I will always ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists like Hamas. My commitment to the security of Israel is unwavering."
Harris added that Hamas's terrorist attack on October 7 launched a war in Gaza and that she's heartbroken over the scale of death and destruction over the past year with tens of thousands of lives lost, children fleeing for safety over and over again and parents struggling to obtain basic necessities.
"It is far past time for a hostage and ceasefire deal to end the suffering of innocent people," Harris said. "And I will always fight for the Palestinian people to be able to realize their right to dignity, freedom, security, and self-determination."
Harris echoed Biden in saying the administration believes a diplomatic solution across the Israel-Lebanon border region is the" only path to restore lasting calm and allow residents on both sides to return safely to their homes."
"Today, as we mourn the lives lost on October 7, I know many Jews will be reciting and reflecting on the Jewish prayer for mourning – the Kaddish. The words of the Kaddish, however, are not about death," Harris said. "The prayer is about still believing in God and still having faith. I know that is difficult amidst so much trauma and pain."
"But it is with that spirit that I commemorate this solemn day. We will not forget, and we will not lose faith. And in honor of all those souls we lost on October 7, we must never lose sight of the dream of peace, dignity, and security for all."Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a statement in which he said the depravity of Hamas's crimes is almost unspeakable.
"Today, we mark a devastating and tragic anniversary. On October 7, 2023, more than 1,200 men, women and children, including 46 Americans and citizens of more than 30 countries, were slaughtered by Hamas – the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust," he said.
Hamas also took 254 people hostage that day, including 12 Amercians.
Four of those Americans – Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Itay Chen, Judy Weinstein, and Gad Haggai – were murdered by Hamas, Blinken said.
Four were released through an agreement the United States negotiated last November, but four remain in captivity in Gaza: Edan Alexander, Keith Siegel, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Omer Neutra. There are also an estimated 97 other hostages who remain held in Gaza today, he added.
"Every single one of them must be returned to their families, and the United States will continue to work tirelessly to bring them home," Blinken said.
Blinken said Hamas’ attacks on October 7 unleashed a year of conflict, with tragic consequences for the Palestinian people.
He said the US mourns the death of every innocent who died on October 7 and in the year since.
"It is time to reach a ceasefire agreement that brings the hostages home, alleviates the suffering of the Israeli and Palestinian people and ultimately brings an end to this war," he said, adding the international community must also stand steadfast in the face of terrorism and violent extremism, including the sources of support for groups like Hamas.
The international community also must condemn Iran’s support for Hamas and other terrorist groups in the region that are responsible for so much death, destruction and instability, he said.
"On this painful anniversary, the United States stands with Israel as it defends itself against terrorism," Blinken said. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to lasting peace and stability across the region and for a common future for Israelis and Palestinians with equal measures of security, dignity, opportunity and freedom."