A year has passed since Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on Israel, which resulted in the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Over 3,000 terrorists infiltrated southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and perpetrating horrific acts of violence, including rape, mutilation, and torture. Hundreds have been taken hostage, including women and children, with more than 100 individuals still in captivity in Gaza.

In response, Israel commenced military operations in Gaza with two primary objectives: to defeat Hamas and to secure the release of all hostages. Since then, the conflict has escalated further, with Hezbollah’s involvement intensifying the situation, as well as other members of the Shiite axis such the Houthis in Yemen. Recently, Israel executed a series of strikes that resulted in the eradication of Hezbollah’s military leadership. Despite ongoing efforts by the international community, the prospects for peace remain elusive, raising concerns about the potential for an all-out conflict in the Middle East.

To commemorate the one-year anniversary of this tragic event, The Henry Jackson Society is pleased to host a panel of experts. This event will feature firsthand witnesses and specialists who will discuss the military and political ramifications of the October 7th massacre, as well as what we might expect in the future.

Oria Berlin, 20, is currently serving at the IDF Public Diplomacy Office. On October 7th, she was stationed at her base in the Gaza sector during the significant events of that day. With a strong commitment to her service, Oria now shares her personal experiences, offering a unique and insightful perspective on the events and their broader implications.

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum grew up in Gibraltar and studied law at Kings College, London University. She qualified as a barrister in Middle Temple in 1997 and practiced in London before immigrating to Israel in 2001. Before joining politics, Fleur worked in the Jewish nonprofit world and helmed her own communications consulting business. In May 2016 Fleur became a City Councilor in Jerusalem and in February 2017 the leader of the Opposition. In November 2018 Fleur was re-elected to the Jerusalem Municipal Council and was appointed Deputy Mayor for foreign relations, economic development, and tourism. Fleur co-founded the UAE-Israel Business Council and the Gulf Israel Women’s Forum in 2020. Since September 2023, Fleur has been serving as Israel’s special envoy for innovation. She is the first woman to be appointed as Secretary General for Kol Israel, the ideological successor to the General Zionist Party in the World Zionist Congress. Fleur recently joined the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy as a senior fellow and sits on the international advisory council. Fleur completed her tenure as Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem in March, 2024, and she remains involved in the advancement of women’s rights and marginalized populations in the city, through economic development and the fight for a pluralistic Jerusalem.

https://www.inss.org.il/person/orna-mizrahi/

Orna Mizrahi, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, joined INSS in December 2018, after a long career in the Israeli security establishment: 26 years in the IDF (ret. Lt. Col.) and 12 years in the National Security Council (NSC) in the Prime Minister’s Office (she served under 8 heads of the NSC). In her last position (2015-2018) as Deputy National Security Adviser for Foreign Policy, she led strategic planning on regional and international policy on behalf of the NSC for the Prime Minister and the Israeli Cabinet, and was responsible for preparing the papers for the Prime Minister’s meetings with leaders in the international arena. During her service in the IDF she served as an intelligence analyst in the Military Intelligence Research Division and as a senior officer in the Strategic Planning Division. She specialized mainly in research and strategic planning on regional issues, with an emphasis on the countries of the first circle and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ms. Mizrahi holds an M.A. (cum laude) in History of the Middle East from Tel Aviv University and two B.A. degrees from Tel Aviv University: one in History of the Middle East and the other in General History and the Bible (summa cum laude). She is active in Forum Dvorah, which promotes the inclusion of women in the political-security establishment.

Dr Helena Ivanov is an associate research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society. She recently completed a PhD in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her research focuses on the relationship between propaganda and violence against civilians. In her thesis, Helena examined the role propaganda played during the Yugoslav Wars and produced a model for studying propaganda which details the key phases, functions, discourses, and techniques of propaganda (the model itself is applicable to other contexts). Additionally, Helena also served as a Manager at the Centre for International Studies at the LSE.

Prior to her PhD, Helena completed an MPhil in Political Theory at the University of Oxford, and holds a BA in Politics from the University of Belgrade.

Please note this event can only be watched ONLINE.