Context of October 7 and Gaza Casualties

It has been two years since October 7th, 2023 – when Hamas launched the deadliest attack in Israel’s history. Around 1,200 people were brutally killed – including over 700 civilians and dozens of children. 251 people were taken hostage into Gaza, and over 80 are now confirmed dead, including those killed on Oct. 7.

Since then, Israel has used that terrifying day to justify even worse atrocities in Gaza, killing over 67,000 Palestinians, 83% of whom were civilians. It is the first-ever live-streamed genocide, with images and videos of starving Palestinian children, a demolished Gaza, and gleeful Israeli military soldiers being shared across our social feeds every single day.

But even though it’s clear that Israel has caused far more death and destruction than even Hamas did on Oct. 7, it doesn’t mean Oct. 7 was anything other than a tragedy for the innocent Israeli civilians who were either murdered or taken hostage two years ago today.

In fact, some of the Israelis who suffered the most heart-wrenching losses from Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7 have now actually become some of the biggest advocates for peace and most fervent critics of the Netanyahu government.

In this ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ interview, I speak to two of those people: Zahiro Shahar Mor, whose uncle Avraham Munder was taken hostage on Oct. 7. His uncle’s body was recovered last year in Khan Younis. Throughout the war, Zahiro has been arrested multiple times for protesting against the government’s handling of the war and advocating for a hostage deal – and even been beaten by Israeli police.

Then there is Israeli peace activist Maoz Inon, whose parents Bilha and Yakov Inon were both killed two years ago today, during the Oct. 7 attack. Since then, Maoz has dedicated himself to forgiveness and reconciliation, and has built partnerships with Palestinians to try and envision a future beyond war and revenge.

I think you’ll find my conversation with these two men to be powerful, heartbreaking, and full of wisdom.

Zahiro acknowledges that much of Israeli society has been taken over by genocidal fever since Oct. 7, saying that, “concerning Israeli society’s attitude toward Gaza…it’s like a black hole over there.”

Meanwhile, Maoz’s steadfast belief in radical forgiveness, despite all he’s been through since the killing of his parents on Oct. 7, is truly stunning and awe-inspiring.

“The most important lesson I learned after October 7th is the power of forgiveness… I forgive Hamas for murdering my parents. And I forgive Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for sacrificing them,” Maoz says to me.

Please do take the time to watch this unique conversation and hear why the two of them still hold onto hope, despite Netanyahu’s constant sabotaging of ceasefire negotiations and hostage deals.

Paid subscribers can watch the interview in full, without a paywall. Free subscribers can watch a 5-minute preview of the interview above. Do consider upgrading to a paid subscription to unlock the full interview and support our independent journalism.

Editor’s Note: This conversation was recorded before Hamas officially entered negotiations with Israel on Trump’s peace plan for Gaza last week.

Do also check out Mehdi’s recent interview with Palestinian journalist Ahmed Alnaouq and social-justice activist Pam Bailey on their new and moving book on Gaza, ‘We Are Not Numbers’: