With the opening of the photo exhibition "Humans of Israel - 7th of October" at the German embassy in Tel Aviv on Friday, Israeli artist and photojournalist Erez Kaganovitz aims to tell the stories of individuals who lived through Hamas' attack on Israel.
The attack by the Palestinian militant organization, which killed more than 1,200, was the worst massacre of Israelis since the Holocaust and represents a profound turning point in the history of the Middle East region.
In 20 pictures, Kaganovitz presents 16 fates and stories behind October 7, including people who fought against the terrorists and Holocaust survivors who witnessed the attack. Several survivors of the massacre were present at the exhibition's opening.
German Ambassador Steffen Seibert commented on the exhibition: "October 7 has left deep wounds in the Israeli soul. But the courage and solidarity shown by many Israelis during and after this terrible attack also sends a strong message of cohesion and hope."
According to Kaganovitz the pictures show that October 7 was not a geostrategic incident, but above all a vicious attack on people: men, women and children.
Kaganovitz said he felt, as an artist and photojournalist, "the need to counter the misperceptions and growing anti-Semitism by showing the human side of Israel."
Over the year, the exhibition is to be shown at various locations around the world, including at leading universities in the United States.
In the US, there has been a significant surge in protests against the Gaza war, which continues to result in the loss of numerous civilian lives.