Three years after the horrific October 7, 2023 attacks, the pain of that day has not disappeared. The photographs of those who were killed and kidnapped continue to remind us that behind every number was a human being, a family and a life that was suddenly shattered.

On October 7, Hamas-led terrorists attacked communities in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking hostages, including women and children. For the families of the victims, the tragedy is not simply a chapter in history. It remains a personal wound that continues to shape their lives.

On this anniversary, we must remember those victims without hesitation or political calculation.

Remembering the victims is not an act against an entire people or an entire religion. It is an affirmation that terrorism, deliberate attacks against civilians and the taking of hostages cannot be justified by political grievances. No cause becomes legitimate because innocent people are murdered in its name.

No cause becomes legitimate because innocent people are murdered in its name.Manel Msalmi

I stand in solidarity with the families who lost loved ones and with the Israeli women and families whose lives were devastated by the attacks. Their suffering deserves to be acknowledged, just as the suffering of civilians caught in every conflict deserves our humanity and concern.

Fighting extremism without blaming Muslims

The fight against extremism must also be a fight against hatred in all its forms. Violent Islamist extremism has caused enormous suffering in the Middle East and beyond, but it is important to distinguish between extremist movements and the millions of Muslims who reject violence and live peacefully alongside people of other faiths.

This distinction matters.

The answer to extremism cannot be hostility toward Muslims as a community. In fact, many Muslims themselves have been victims of Islamist terrorism and radicalization. A peaceful future requires Muslims, Jews, Christians and people of every background to stand together against those who use religion as an excuse for violence.

That is why the struggle against extremist ideology must go hand in hand with the promotion of interfaith understanding.

The danger of propaganda

One of the most troubling aspects of modern extremism is the way propaganda can transform violence into something that is celebrated, excused or denied.

Social media has made it easier for false narratives, hatred and conspiracy theories to cross borders within minutes. Images and slogans can be used to dehumanize entire communities, while terrorist organizations can attempt to portray themselves as legitimate political actors rather than groups responsible for violence against civilians.

We must challenge such propaganda with facts, education and moral courage.

Remembering October 7 means refusing to allow the victims to disappear behind political slogans. It means teaching future generations that Jewish lives, Muslim lives, Christian lives and every innocent human life have equal value.

Peace requires courage

There can be no lasting peace in the Middle East if terrorism is glorified or if hatred is allowed to become a permanent political language.

But peace also requires something more than defeating terrorism. It requires building relationships between communities that have been divided by decades of conflict, mistrust and fear.

Muslims and Jews have lived together in different parts of the world for centuries. Their histories are not defined only by conflict. There are also traditions of coexistence, cultural exchange and mutual respect that deserve to be remembered and strengthened.

The future should not belong to extremists who tell people that they must hate their neighbors because of their religion.

It should belong to those who believe that coexistence is possible.

We remember

Three years after October 7, remembering is a moral responsibility.

We remember the people who were killed. We remember the hostages and their families. We remember communities that were attacked and families whose lives were changed forever.

And we remember because forgetting creates space for history to be distorted and hatred to return.

My message is simple: terrorism must never be normalized, antisemitism must never be tolerated, and Muslims must not be collectively blamed for the actions of extremists.

The road to peace is difficult, but it begins with recognizing the humanity of others.

We must continue to stand against extremism while standing for peace, coexistence, religious freedom and human dignity.

We remember. We reject terrorism. And we continue to hope for a future in which Muslims and Jews can live together in peace.

MM

Manel Msalmi

FFN Chief Executive · Founder & President, European Association for the Defense of Minorities

Human rights advocate and interfaith peace activist specializing in the rights of religious and ethnic minorities across the MENA region and Europe.