NEW ORLEANS — As the world marks the Hamas attacks that occurred on Oct. 7, for Palestinians, it holds a bit of a different meaning. Many say they look at it in the context of what happened before and since.
"It means a lot in the backdrop of everything that happened on that day, then also 365 days looking forward," Hakam Murad said.
For Karem Salem, who was born and raised in Palestine — about 12 miles from Jerusalem, Oct. 7 is one day in a long struggle.
"October 7 is one of those stages since 1948 the occupation has been as brutal as nowadays we live in," Salem said.
Salem says Oct. 7 changed his life and the lives of his loved ones. His cousin's son, Tawfic Abdeljabbar — a New Orleanian, was killed in the Westbank in January.
"He was killed in cold blood right in my backyard," Salem said. "When I went back home this year I looked through my window and I saw exactly where he was killed. It’s very sad to see that a 17-year-old has done nothing [and] killed in cold blood just because he’s Palestinian."
Now, a year after the Hamas attack that sparked a war, Murad says he's hopeful that others are becoming aware of the conditions Palestinians have been living under.
"As we’ve seen the destruction of mosques, social centers, schools, universities, homes, we look towards and finally see that the public opinion has shifted," Murad said.
In hopes that others will stand with them in their hope for a future of peace.
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