Today, Lantos Foundation President Katrina Lantos Swett released the following statement, reflecting on the sober anniversary of the tragic events of October 7 in Israel:

Today marks a grim anniversary: two years since Hamas terrorists carried out a brutal attack on Israel and took hostage more than 250 innocent people from nations around the globe. Two full years have passed since that fateful day, and 48 of those hostages remain in Gaza, though only 20 are believed to be alive. Some of the innocent men, women, and children taken by Hamas have returned home. Dozens have died or were executed during their captivity. May their memories be a blessing.

The October 7 attack provoked a war that has led to immense suffering, destruction, and death in Gaza. Far from bringing the Palestinians closer to realizing a just solution for their legitimate aspirations, Hamas’ terror of October 7 hurled the region into chaos and has made peace an ever more remote possibility.

Still, on this anniversary, we express our fervent hope that this will be a turning point. We hope and pray that the 20-point Gaza peace plan advanced by the Trump administration will finally bring an end to the war. We pray that the remaining hostages will soon be reunited with their families and given the chance to heal from their horrific ordeal. Above all, we pray that Israelis and Palestinians who aspire to peaceful coexistence will be given an opportunity to chart a new path forward.

In accepting the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize, Professor Elie Wiesel, one of our own distinguished Lantos Prize laureates, said, “Let Israel be given a chance, let hatred and danger be removed from her horizons, and there will be peace in and around the Holy Land.” It has been nearly four decades since he delivered those words, and yet his plea remains so relevant. As we mark this solemn day, let us collectively call for peace and act to make it a reality.