Jewish community members and leaders gather in Miami Beach to honor those lost and pray for peace ahead of the 2 year anniversary of attack on Israel – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – South Florida marks two years after the horrific October 7th, 2023 attack that killed hundreds of Israelis and started a war in the Middle East.

An agonizing anniversary as hostages remain trapped in Gaza, with talks ongoing in Egypt Monday in hopes of finally bringing the conflict to an end.

Events on the forefront of everyone’s minds in Miami Beach as many gathered to remember the lives lost that day in a somber ceremony, hoping and praying that Israel and Hamas will finally agree on a peace deal.

“On October On October 7th, 2023, Hamas declared a war on Israel. Hamas declared a war on Israel, and on October 8th, 2023, much of the world declared war on Jews,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “As Jews, we need to stay united.”

As the painful anniversary of the October 7th massacre approaches, the city remembered the more than a thousand lives lost that day and hundreds of hostages taken.

“The pain and the trauma of that day has not faded, families are still mourning, communities are still healing,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

During the ceremony a survivor of the attack spoke, as well as other members of the community, from soldiers to state representatives.

“On October 7th, our base was attacked by hundreds of terrorists, for more than nine hours we fought for our lives surrounded, outnumbered, and under heavy fire,” said a surviving soldier.

“If October 7th taught us anything, it’s that silence in the face of evil is a form of complicity,” said State Rep. Fabian Basabe.

The solidarity from the city was solidified by a strong message from the city’s Jewish mayor.

“Just standing with Israel and Israel’s right to exist, because that’s really what this is about, but standing up against anti-Semitism, we’ve seen a globalized confrontation against Jewish people in general and we’re showing loud and clear we’re going to support Jewish people, we’re going to support Israel unequivocally,” said Meiner.

Miami Beach has played it’s role in lending a helping hand to Israel in the years after the attacks.

Eight Miami Beach firefighters volunteered to travel to Israel, just shortly after the terror attack to fill in for some of the country’s first responders who had been summoned for military service.

A somber experience that still sticks with Miami Beach Fire Captain Adonis Garcia.

“It brings back a lot of emotions from that day, you know, the helpless feeling that I felt just after the attack, I just wanted to do anything we could to help out,” said Garcia. “Just thinking to myself, I said, what can I do as a firefighter? You know, we don’t have guns, I said, the least we could do is go help them, whatever they need.”

South Florida and the world continue to hope and pray for peace in the region.

“We continue to call for the return of every hostage in captivity to be returned, and we’re in the middle of talks,” said Levine Cava

“I’m praying my eyes out, this is something that everyone should be pushing for, not just the people of Israel, but every nation, every Arab nation, we just need to bring peace,” said Meiner.

The U.S. is in Egypt Monday, mediating peace talks between Hamas and Israel, which include the release of hostages and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, a major point of contention throughout talks.

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