Hamas attack survivors, former IDF soldiers, and local politicians spoke at Monday’s county-wide Oct. 7 commemoration at Eisenhower Park.
“We are here 365 days after the gruesome, heinous attacks by a terrorist organization in Israel,” said U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito.
County Executive Bruce Blakeman hosted what county officials said was Long Island’s largest remembrance ceremony, with thousands of attendees.
“I see thousands of God-loving, patriotic Long Islanders dedicated to a cause that the United States will always stand with Israel,” said U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota.
This year marks one year since Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and local politicians and community members gathered in remembrance. The attacks killed over 1,200 people and took 250 hostages, according to previous reports.
“I can’t think of anything more horrific than when I viewed the approximately 40-minute video, which I understand is the PG version of what happened,” Blakeman said.
“It was pure evil,” he said.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, there have been over 41,000 people killed in the war in Gaza.
“There should be no ceasefire until Hamas surrenders and every single hostage is released,” D’Esposito said.
Representatives shared their support for Israel at the commemoration.
“The same people that want to kill the Jews, the same people that want to destroy Israel, also want to destroy the United States of America as well. And they are fighting on our behalf,” Suozzi said.
“Those who want to wipe Israel off of the map also want death to America,” LaLota said. “Those who tried to bomb the World Trade Center in ‘93, who killed American sailors on the Cole in 2000, who brought the towers down in ‘01, are the same folks who want to wipe Israel off the map.”
There are still around 100 hostages that have not yet been released, reports say.
Among these unreleased hostages is 22-year-old Plainview resident Omer Neutra.
“Omer Neutra has been held hostage for these past 365 days,” said Suozzi. “His parents, Ronen and Orna, are fighting for him every single day.”
Omer Neutra is a tank commander in the IDF, and his unit was stationed on the Gaza border last October.
Omer’s long-time friend, fellow soldier and Plainview resident Ira Kohler spoke at the vigil.
“I stared deep into the eyes of monsters that took 1,200 lives and took hostage 251. I stared into the eyes of monsters that my friend – our friend – Omer Neutra has now stared into for an entire year,” Kohler said.
Kohler said after high school, he and Omer decided to move to Israel and enlist in IDF combat units.
“Only a few weeks later, my unit was actually supposed to actually replace Omer’s guarding the border, the Gaza board,” Kohler said.
“And so I say to you: what if this happened on Nov. 7 and not Oct. 7? I know, first of all, my story could be different, and I at least know that for Omer, he would not be a hostage,” he said.
Kohler said he knows many soldiers who have died. He said he knew they were at peace, but he was worried about Omer’s unknown fate.
“We will either have the opportunity to watch his mother, Orna, give him a huge hug, or we will watch his mother bury him in the ground and say her final goodbyes,” Kohler said.
“And for that, we need to continue fighting,” he said. “Because we must see that hug.”
Maya Braverman, a 21-year-old IDF soldier who moved to the United States this year, spoke at the vigil.
“I truly believe that nobody ever thought that what happened on Oct. 7 would ever happen,” Braverman said. “And even if they did, never like that.”
She shared her experience in her service with the IDF, which ended in December.
“I am not a common soldier, and I didn’t go to have the opportunity to go out and fight,” she said. “And for a long time, I felt guilty about it. But my role, even though it’s not combat, helped me more than I ever imagined.”
Braverman said that she spent time with elementary students to help them feel safe in school. She said her discussions with them have been eye-opening, and she realized that even at four years old, the students have a consciousness about the war around them
Nova Music Festival survivor Shir Zohar spoke about her experience on Oct. 7, 2023.
“I have a lot of friends that didn’t survive, but I know what they want from us,” she said. “They don’t want us to be in bed. They’d want us to continue. They’d want us to live again.”
Zohar left the festival with her friend Ester and asked Ori Arad for help as they fled.
The three of them traveled together until Hamas shot and killed him. Zohar said that she could not tell the whole story, but wanted to remember her hero at the vigil.
“But I just want you to remember his name,” she said. “That’s the most important thing. Ori Arad.”
At the ceremony, representatives lit candles with Israel Scouts and members of the Center for Israel. There were 12 candles, which represented the 1,200 civilians killed on Oct. 7, 2023.
“Today, we have Israel, and we have a Jewish homeland, and that gives us incredible strength as Jews, not just in Israel, but all around the world,” concluded activist Jonny Daniels.
