Oct. 7, 2023 – a date ingrained in the minds of many.

For some, it’s the painful memory of tragedy and loss. For others, it’s the start of the long conflict and bloodshed in Gaza–which some refer to as a “genocide.”

Despite a year passing, the wounds are still fresh for many in the South Bay.

At El Camino College, chants of “Free, Free Palestine” were echoed at the Student Services Plaza on Oct. 8, as students and faculty gathered to protest the conflict in Gaza.

In Israel, a South Bay native mourned the loss of her friend, who was one of the six hostages recently killed by Hamas.

Torrance native and American-Israeli Sascha Recht, who was interviewed by The Union last year now lives in Haifa, Israel with her husband.

She experienced the conflict firsthand.

On Oct. 7, 2023, her friends Alon Gat, Yarden Roman-Gat and Carmel Gat were captured by Hamas, as reported by Reuters and CBS News. On that day, Hamas attacked Israel, launching rockets before breaching the border and killing civilians, taking hostages and raiding homes.

Alon Gat escaped shortly after he was captured, but his wife, Yarden Roman-Gat, wasn’t released by Hamas until Nov. 29, 2023, during the temporary ceasefire. Carmel Gat, Alon’s sister, remained in captivity.

Her body was found in late August in a tunnel in Rafah, Gaza among five other hostages, just hours after they had been killed, according to several news reports.

A few freed hostages reported that Carmel Gat helped comfort them during their time in captivity through yoga and meditation practices, as reported by CBS News.

Recht said before she was captured, she returned from India where she learned about yoga and meditation.

“She really made an impact on [the hostages],” Recht said.

Yet with many hostages still in captivity and tension escalating on several borders, Recht said she doesn’t believe Israel can maintain the war.

“My hope is that we can come to a deal that frees our hostage first and foremost,” she said.

Although it’s been a year, there remains an unfading pang in Recht’s chest.

“We haven’t moved on–I don’t think we ever will,” she said.

This all comes after tensions have escalated in the Middle East between Israel and other nations, extending beyond Gaza into Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

Around 1,200 people were killed and over 200 people were taken hostageon Oct. 7, 2023, according to AP News.

Airstrikes from Israel then ensued on Gaza, killing thousands of militants and civilians, many of whom were women and children.

Over 41,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed since last year. Around 1.9 million people have been displaced in Gaza, according to the United Nations.

At El Camino, the conflict was felt deeply by Palestinians and non-Palestinians alike during the rally on Oct. 8.

Hong Herrera-Thomas, an associate professor of history attending the walkout, said it was overwhelming to witness the events in Gaza following Israel’s response to the attack by Hamas.

“I couldn’t comprehend it,” she said. “To have something like this for so long is disgusting.”

Herrera-Thomas said the creation of the state of Israel led to the current conflict in the Middle East.

Despite the chaos, she said she “saw it coming,” with the creation of the state of Israel and the tension it led to.

“I hope that we can work together as a global community and really understand that Palestinians are hurting,” Herrera-Thomas said. “There are Jewish people that have been subjected to violence – I mean, it’s harming everyone.”

Herrera-Thomas said it’s important to have safe spaces for challenging conversations.

“I hope that wherever people are at with this issue, that they remain open, they remember that we’re human first and that they have empathy in their heart,” she said.

Munira Shatarah, a 61-year-old Palestinian native and ECC nursing major said it’s a “miserable life” for those living in Gaza.

“They kill them with their family…they don’t givethem water, they don’t give them food,” Shatarah said.

Michelle Xai, the leader of the Revcom Corps Los Angeles for the Emancipation of Humanity, said her organization was invited to the event.

Xai said learning about the events in Gaza and the reasoning behind it made the situation more “intolerable.”

“It becomes even more infuriating because you’re recognizing how intolerable this is…that even more so rings the urgency of revolution,” she said.

According to Xai, Revcom Corps is an organization seeking to bring a global “revolution” by abolishing capitalism and imperialism.

“This [conflict] is intensifying by the day,” Xai said. “Nobody with a heart for humanity should be tolerating one more day living under this horrific situation.”