Israeli President Isaac Herzog said today in a message broadcast on the anniversary of the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel that shocked the country that the wounds “have not yet fully healed.”

“Our wounds cannot yet be fully healed… because hostages continue to be tortured, executed and die in captivity,” he stressed, according to a statement.

Of the 251 people abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip on October 7, 97 are still being held hostage, of whom 33 are dead, according to an army statement.

Israel’s president also said Iran and its “proxies” pose a “permanent threat” to his country, ahead of commemorations for the Palestinian Islamist movement’s October 7 attack on Israeli soil.

In a message to Jewish communities around the world, Herzog denounced “the permanent threat posed to the (Israeli) state by Iran and its terrorist proxies, who are blinded by hatred and determined to destroy our unique Jewish nation – state”, is stated in a statement issued by the presidency.

Iran on Monday night fired nearly 200 missiles at Israeli territory, launching its second attack in less than six months.

Tehran said it acted in retaliation for last week’s assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iranian-backed Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah, in Beirut, and for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya on July 31 in attack on Tehran.

Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of being responsible for Haniya’s murder. Israel had no comment.

Earlier today, Israel’s military announced it was “preparing a response” to Iran’s massive missile attack, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s air defense system.