(COLORADO SPRINGS) — A vigil was held in Acacia Park in downtown Colorado Springs on Tuesday, Oct. 8, to mark the second anniversary of the start of the Israel-Hamas war, which has caused widespread devastation.
“The reality is that we have to unite and—peace—if we all come together, that’s where the strength is found,” said Joran Scott Baldwin, Owner of First Amendment Media.
The gathering in Acacia Park was a somber event where dozens of people came together to mourn the thousands of lives lost during the conflict. The war began when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others.
“We’re memorializing, certainly, the victims who were killed on October 7th, two years ago in Israel, but also remembering that we have hostages that must be released,” said Representative Jeff Crank.
Those who gathered in Acacia Park for the grim milestone say Trump’s peace plan has been a beacon of hope.
“I started to watch a video, and I had to turn it off because I couldn’t bear to see it, that they were so brutal and so barbaric,” said Crank.
In response to the initial attack, Israel launched an offensive into the Gaza Strip, which resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the destruction of towns and cities. The conflict has left 7,000 people still missing.
“I think we can all come together in the name of peace and in the name of being fellow Americans united against terrorism,” said Baldwin.
The war has divided many Americans, leading to months of pro-Palestinian protests, including at Colorado College. Meanwhile, during the vigil, only one protestor stood across the park holding a pro-Palestinian sign.
“It just seems to me like, even if just in my own little quiet way, I just sit here and make sure that people see and hear these facts as well, then it’s worth taking an hour or so out of my evening to do so,” said Steph Vigil, a former state representative.
During the vigil, the names of forty-eight hostages who remain missing were read.
“We’re going to read a little bit of their bios just to put a face to a name and give a little bit of humanity behind what’s happening,” said Baldwin.
Since the first attack in 2023, thousands of lives have been lost, despite President Trump’s efforts to find a resolution. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that the Palestinian death toll in the war reached 67,160 on Monday.
Those who gathered in Acacia Park for the grim milestone are hopeful that both sides can come together to end the war soon.
“I do think that the president has put forth a bold plan to try and get there. I think Israel is willing to do that. The question is, will Hamas accept that?” said Crank.
“I mean, I think most of the world wants a ceasefire,” said Vigil.
Right now, the main sticking points for a truce between Israel and Hamas appear to be the post-war governing system for Gaza and who will provide security after Israeli troops withdraw. Family members of the remaining hostages are remaining cautiously optimistic.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by FOX21. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by FOX21 staff before being published.
