NEW DELHI: The Embassy of Israel in India solemly marked the second anniversary of the October 7 terror attacks with a heartfelt commemorative event that took place on Thursday in New Delhi. The event gathered dignitaries, members of the diplomatic community, and media to honour and remember the lives forever changed by the tragedy.
The event’s guest of honour was Lt Gen (retd) Vinod Khandare, a distinguished Indian military strategist and former Principal Advisor to the Ministry of Defence, and former Deputy National Security Advisor of India, who paid tribute to the resilience and courage of those affected by the October 7 terror attacks.
Ambassador of Israel to India, H.E. Mr Reuven Azar, said: “We are grateful for the support we got from Prime Minister Modi, the Indian government and the Indian people. Both countries have suffered from terrorism and we share the conviction required to deal with it and prevail.“
A poignant moment of the evening was the presence of Avihay Brodutch, a resident of Kibbutz Kfar Aza in southern Israel, who survived the October 7 Hamas attacks. During the attack, Mr Brodutch’s wife Hagar and their three children Ofri, Yuval, and Oriya were abdocted and taken into Gaza. His courageous public advocacy for the hostages, holding a placard reading “My family is in Gaza” in front of Israeli Defense Ministry, drew global attention and became a powerful voice for families affected by terror attacks.
After 51 days, his family was released in a temporary ceasefire, symbolizing both the civilian suffering of October 7 and the resilience of those who continue to seek justice and peace.
At the event, he said: “On that day, I saw a motorized parachute flying over the Kibbutz (village), almost above my head. There were terrorists on them holding AK-47s, and my heart just dropped. All in all, there were over 250 Hamas terrorists that swarmed into our Kibbutz… And I found myself alone after some of my friends were killed, some of them right beside me. My neighbour informed us that my family was taken into Gaza and that they are alive. After 51 days, they came back. They were starved. They were full of lice. They looled really bad, their skin was pale, and they had marks on them. They were kept in a closed, locked room.
After all this, my message for the world is: ‘You should concentrate on healing. We wish for the healing of everybody in Israel, in all the world, to begin the healing, and we can get some peace. Peace and quiet. And maybe we can start with the peace among my people, and among Israel and its neighbours. It’s all I can wish for, and hope it’s going to happen.‘”
A special cultural tribute came from the Israeli “Trio4”, who performed the songs “Keshetavo” (When You Come), “Ha lev Sheli” (My Heart), and “Shir LaMa’alot” (A Song of Ascents) each reflecting the emotional and spiritual journey of the Israeli people since October 7.
