We must insist that out of the 7 October tragedy must come lasting peace

‘None of us can go it alone. But there must be a coming to terms with our shared humanity.’ Photograph: Amir Cohen/Reuters

October 7 is a day of mourning. For Israelis, it is a reminder they remain a broken nation, with 101 hostages (many, perhaps half, presumed dead) still held in Gaza, and a dangerous escalation in the north as Israel battles Hezbollah. As one friend wrote to me today: “Just when we think it can’t get worse, it does.”

There is Gaza: the heartbreak, massive civilian deaths, homelessness and hunger, resulting from the IDF invasion after 7 October, even as Hamas fights on and the Netanyahu government refuses to articulate a viable exit strategy.