Protests in NYC today to mark 1 year of Israel-Hamas War: Timeline, details

NEW YORK CITY - Today marks one year since Hamas attacked Israel, taking over 250 people hostage and killing around 1,200 people.

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Since then, thousands of people have been killed, and despite several efforts for peace, no end appears to be in sight. 

Locally, the war has triggered a number of mass protests across New York City, including many that are happening today. 

Protesters gathered in Manhattan on Monday, spreading a large Palestinian flag on a street near the New York Stock Exchange early Monday afternoon, while a smaller group of counterprotesters held an Israeli flag. The pro-Palestinian group grew to a blocks-long column as it marched through Manhattan streets, at one point holding a banner that read "war begets war" on the steps of the New York Public Library.

Associated Press journalists saw several people being taken into police custody at various points in the march. Police said multiple arrests were made; no further information was immediately available.

Click here for a list of vigils that were planned throughout the city commemorating the attack.

Columbia University protests

At Columbia University, pro-Palestinian protests were held on campus, causing officials to step up the security.

On Sunday, Colombia's interim president, Katrina Armstrong, sent an open letter to the university community warning that over the next few days, there will be reduced building access, more dividers and barricades to curtail the risk of violence. 

Since the beginning of the school year, the Morningside Heights campus has been restricted to those with university ID's and campus guests. 

The campus was closed to guests, for at least Monday, and there are nine different gates where students and employees can enter.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest

In a weekend post on Instagram, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, an account with over 47K followers, posted a flyer urging students, professors, staff and faculty to walk out at 11:45 a.m. and "join the movement for Palestinian liberation.".

New York City protests

An Instagram flyer posted by Long Island University Students for Justice in Palestine detailed a list of gathering points for protesters throughout the day, starting at Wall Street and ending in Columbus Circle. 

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Within Our Lifetime – an account with over 33K followers – said: "On Monday October 7th Flood New York City For Palestine, stand with Gaza and uplift the Palestinian people resisting genocide by any means necessary since 1948. Call out of work and school, take to the streets and join us throughout the day."

"No work. No school. All out for Gaza," the post read.

What happened on October 7?

On Oct. 7, 2023, a barrage of rockets ricocheted as Hamas-led militants stormed Gaza and other nearby Israeli towns, killing dozens and abducting others in a surprise attack.

The Hamas’ cross-border attack in the Gaza Strip killed 1,200 Israelis – 250 others were taken hostage. 

Gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 15 miles from the Gaza border. In some places, they gunned down civilians and soldiers as Israel’s military scrambled to muster a response.

In response to the attacks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas, vowing to inflict an "unprecedented price" as Israel launched airstrikes in Gaza. 

Since then, Israel, which had been focused on its war against Hamas in Gaza for nearly a year, has recently begun intensifying attacks against Hezbollah, a powerful militant group in southern Lebanon and other areas.

How many people have died in the Israel-Hamas War?

Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire across the Lebanon border almost daily since the day after Hamas’ cross-border attack. Israel declared war on the militant group in the Gaza Strip in response. 

Israeli strikes have killed over 1,000 people in Lebanon over the past two weeks, nearly a quarter of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry. Hundreds of thousands have fled their homes.

Over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory, and just over half the dead have been women and children, according to local health officials.

What is the latest?

A new round of airstrikes hit Beirut suburbs late Sunday as Israel intensified its bombardment of northern Gaza and southern Lebanon.

Israel has opened a new front in Lebanon against Hezbollah, which has traded fire with Israel along the border since the war in Gaza began. Israel also has vowed to strike Iran after a ballistic missile attack on Israel last week.

The widening conflict risks further drawing in the United States, which has provided crucial military and diplomatic support to Israel. Iran-allied militant groups in Syria, Iraq and Yemen have joined in with long-distance strikes on Israel.

When will the war end?

Israel has said it will continue striking Hezbollah until it is safe for tens of thousands of its citizens displaced from homes near the Lebanon border to return. Hezbollah has vowed to keep firing rockets into Israel until there is a cease-fire in Gaza.

Iran said it would respond to any violation of its sovereignty with even heavier strikes on Israeli infrastructure.

U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration is "fully supportive" of Israel and that he’s discussing with aides what the appropriate response should be.

Despite several efforts for peace, no end appears to be in sight following Iran’s recent missile attack on Israel.

The Associated Press wire services helped contributed to this report.