'An unprecedented attack on Israel': One year since Hamas terrorist attacks
It's been one year since the deadly attacks by Hamas on Israel and Calgary police understand tensions remain high in the Middle East -- and that the effects are being felt here.
"We are collaborating with our partners to monitor the situation at local, national and international levels, and we continue to work with the community to ensure everyone's safety," the Calgary Police Service said in a statement.
"Currently, there is no direct threat to the public in Calgary. However, we have proactively increased patrols near local places of worship and other significant areas.
"While there have been no specific threats identified at this time, we do encourage people to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the police."
On Oct. 7, 2023, 1,205 Israelis were killed and 251 were abducted by Hamas.
Ninety-seven of those kidnapped that day remain in captivity.
It led to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
The Hamas-run health ministry says almost 42,000 people have since been killed.
"This was an unprecedented attack on Israel that was not simply part of a military conflict. This was an attack on innocent civilians, on babies, on young women," said Jared Shore, co-president of the Calgary Jewish Federation.
"Everybody knows where they were when they first heard this news.
"Everybody has been impacted by this, knowing friends, family in Israel, or simply knowing that Israel is such a huge part of our identity as Jews in the diaspora."
Shore says the Jewish community will gather at the Beth Tzedec Congregation on Monday evening to commemorate the one-year anniversary.
"This is an incredible battle that the West has to face," he said.
Dror Pery remembers one year ago, not hearing from family in Israel.
"My family was in Kibbutz Nirim, staying eight hours in a safe room hiding from the terrorists," he said.
"Families evacuated from their houses on the north and the south for over a year. How is that good for them? Is it good for the kids? My friends that lived where I grew up. They're moving three, four, five, six times a year."
Pery is advocating for peace.
"War is no good for no one, really," he said.
Pro-Palestinian gatherings and protests have taken place almost weekly in Calgary since the attack.
Hundreds gathered outside Olympic Plaza on Sunday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Live election results: Harris calls Trump to congratulate him on election victory
Vice President Kamala Harris called Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him on his election victory.
Trump wins the White House in a political comeback rooted in appeals to frustrated voters
Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.
Read the full transcript of Donald Trump's victory speech
The former U.S. president and now president-elect addressed a crowd of supporters at his campaign headquarters in West Palm Beach, Fla., shortly after 2:30 a.m. EST, Wednesday morning.
'Canada will be absolutely fine': Justin Trudeau, his ministers and Pierre Poilievre congratulate Donald Trump
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet congratulated Donald Trump Wednesday morning on his second United States presidential election win, amid questions about how the federal government intends to navigate a second term.
4 ways in which Donald Trump's election was historic
Donald Trump's election victory was history-making in several respects, even as his defeat of U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris prevented other firsts. She would have been the nation's first Black and South Asian woman to be president.
Who won the popular vote? U.S. election vote totals from the past 40 years
Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency on Tuesday, and as of Wednesday morning, was also ahead in the popular vote. Historically, though, the candidate with the most votes hasn’t always won the contest.
What might Donald Trump's election win mean for Canadians
Following president-elect Donald Trump's decisive election victory, there are sure to be significant knock-on effects for Canada. Here's a look at the different areas in which a second Trump presidency may affect Canadians.
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris to concede election to president-elect Donald Trump
Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris has scheduled a speech for 4 p.m. EST where she is expected to concede the election to Republican Donald Trump.
Kingston, Ont. doctor fighting OHIP clawback of $660K in pandemic vaccination payments
A Kingston doctor is in a dispute with the Ontario Ministry of Health, which is trying to clawback more than $600,000 in OHIP payments.