This week marks the one-year anniversary of the horrific Hamas attack against Israel, which unfolded on Oct. 7, 2023. With the follow-on conflict now spreading beyond Israel-Palestine to Lebanon and perhaps Iran, worry about Middle East conflagration abounds. Given the occasion of this dark anniversary, I want to reflect on the events of Oct. 7 and developments since.

Whatever the historical context of Israel-Palestinian enmity, make no mistake — the assault by Hamas’ Qassam Brigades and affiliated groups was a massive war crime. More than 800 of the nearly 1,200 Israelis killed were civilians. A total 251 people were taken to Gaza as hostages. In addition to privation of their freedom, many of the kidnapped faced unspeakably depraved treatment by their captors. Roughly 95 hostages remain unaccounted for, several dozen of whom are likely already dead.

As we mark Oct. 7 one year on, both Israel’s dead and those still in captivity deserve remembrance, and that we speak the truth of what happened that day. I repeat — Oct.7 was a horrible war crime committed by Hamas. Don’t take my word for it, but rather that of Human Rights Watch: “Hamas-led groups committed numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity against civilians during the October 7 assault on southern Israel. Palestinian fighters committed summary killings, hostage-taking and other war crimes, and the crimes against........

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