World Leaders Mark Three Years Since October 7 Massacre

Global leaders and senior officials marked the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack with official statements and social media posts. They commemorated the victims, expressed solidarity with families and survivors, and pledged to combat antisemitism. Alongside remembrance messages, some called for Hamas to be disarmed and for a resolution ensuring security for Israelis and a future for Palestinians.

French President Emmanuel Macron recalled the over 1,200 victims, including 51 French citizens, and the shared pain of Israel and bereaved families. "Three years on, we do not forget the names or the faces," he wrote on X, reaffirming France's commitment to fighting antisemitism and terrorism and working for peace and security. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot visited Israel to mark the anniversary, visiting the Hostages Square and Kibbutz Be'eri, remembering French citizens killed and emphasizing, "We will never forget them. Nothing will erase their faces or their names." His visit also included Nir Oz and Re'im, and meetings with victims' families.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the Hamas attack as a deep rupture, expressing shared grief with victims and calling for a resolute fight against antisemitism. "Jews must be able to live here without fear," he stated. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham linked the massacre's memory to the security of British Jews, declaring, "An attack on Jews in Britain is an attack on us all." He warned of rising antisemitism and pledged to protect Jewish institutions and combat harassment.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed solidarity with victims' families, those who experienced the horror of abduction, and the people of Israel, stating, "No goal can justify the deliberate massacre of innocents." She also addressed the suffering of civilians in Gaza and violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, calling for an end to the cycle of violence and a two-state solution.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remembered the victims and hostages, including those who have not returned, specifically honoring Australian Galit Carbone. He affirmed that "Hamas must be disarmed and play no role in the future of Palestine." EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas echoed this demand, stating, "Hamas must be disarmed for a peace plan for Gaza to move forward." She expressed solidarity with victims and survivors and called for protecting Jewish communities in Europe.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also marked the anniversary. Von der Leyen remembered young festival attendees killed and hostages' suffering. Costa emphasized the EU's commitment to Israel's right to exist in peace and security, and Metsola renewed the commitment to fighting terrorism and antisemitism.

Other leaders, including Dutch Prime Minister Rutte, Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, and US Ambassador to Israel the US Ambassador to Israel, also issued statements. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the deliberate killing of civilians and the torture and sexual violence against hostages, stating, "Nothing can justify these horrors." He called for an end to Palestinian suffering in Gaza, increased aid, and a permanent ceasefire.