The Mayor, Councillor Andrew Gowan has opened books of condolence so that the people of Lisburn and Castlereagh can express their sympathy and condolences to the victims of the Saturday 7 October 2023 terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas and subsequent innocent victims who have lost their lives in the days since as a consequence of the resulting conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Opening the book, he said: “This barbaric, murderous attack by Hamas upon men, women, children and babies in Israel must be condemned without equivocation.
“This was hatred unleashed upon people because they were Jews. It was raw and unbridled hatred that resulted in bloodshed against the Jewish people that many have said we have not seen since the Holocaust.
“The victims of the terrorist attacks of 7 October must be mourned and remembered, and today I open this book of condolence to allow the people of Lisburn and Castlereagh to express their sympathy on this horrific loss of life.
“My hope is that those taken hostage can be returned home safely, and soon, that the situation will be de-escalated, and the loss of innocent life will cease. Terrorism must not, and will not, win.
“Our prayer must be that peace is restored in the Middle East soon.”
Both the hard copy and online book are now closed.