REIM, Israel: Thousands of people converged on southern Israel on Tuesday to mourn the dead as the nation marked two years since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack plunged the region into a devastating war, while Israel and Hamas pressed on with indirect peace talks in Egypt. The main memorial in Tel Aviv, planned for later in the evening and organized by the bereaved families, is separate from a ceremony that the government will hold on the anniversary next week according to the Hebrew calendar.

Hopes for a possible ceasefire began to build and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a truce and hostage release could take shape this week.

From the Hamas massacre of October 7 and murdered hostages to the devastation of Gaza and starving civilians, from exploding Hezbollah pagers to missiles fired between Israel and…