Trump and Harris mark the somber anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7th

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump and vice president Kamala Harris mark the first anniversary of the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust as presidential candidates approach the final weeks of the campaign amid a widening conflict in the Middle East.

Political leaders across the spectrum marked the killing of about 1,200 people, including 46 U.S. citizens, by Hamas-led militants in the Oct. 7 attack last year and the taking of about 250 hostage. A year later, about 100 people, including several Americans still in captivity as U.S. efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and agreement to release hostages have stalled.

Trump will visit New York City gravesite Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersonwho led the Chabad-Lubavitch movement of Orthodox Judaism from 1951 until his death in 1994. Schneerson was the seventh leader of the movement, known as Lubavitcher Rebbe. Trump will then speak to Jewish community leaders at one of his Florida resorts in the Miami suburb of Doral.

Harris will speak briefly with reporters and join her husband in planting a pomegranate tree on the grounds of the vice president's residence in honor of those killed a year ago.

Early Monday, Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, said a prayer for peace at an event commemorating the anniversary hosted by the American Jewish Committee in Washington.

President Joe Biden was expected to mark the occasion with a sombre event in the Blue Room of the White House and light a memorial candle to mark the anniversary.

The attack sparked a deadly war in Gaza as Israel sought to eradicate Hamas's control of the area and try to return prisoners. Israel military campaign More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed, including many women and children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians.

Another Iran-backed group, Hezbollah, fired thousands of rockets into Israeli territory from Lebanon during the same period, and Israel expanded its campaign of sabotage and assassination last month, launching a ground attack into Lebanon to end the group's threat fight.

Iran, meanwhile, has fired large volleys of rockets at Israel, most recently a week ago when the US deployed troops and weapons to the region to help Israel shoot them down.

Trump has blamed both Harris and Biden for the war, arguing that their administrations have empowered Iran, and he has sought to exploit some of the divisions within the Democratic Party with progressives protesting Israel's war.

Some of Trump's statements about Israel overlook his connection to people who spread anti-Semitic rhetoric, such as: right-wing extremist activist Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

Trump has repeatedly said that Jewish voters are voting for Democrats “should have their head examined.” and recently said that if he lost the Nov. 5 presidential election to Harris, “the Jewish people would really have a lot to do with it.”

In an excerpt from an interview with CBS' “60 Minutes” airing Monday night, Harris appeared to dodge answering a question about whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considered a “really close ally,” saying, “The better question. “ is: Do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer to that question is “Yes.”

Trump's own relations with Netanyahu have been difficult. They became angry after the Israeli prime minister became one of the first world leaders to congratulate Biden on his 2020 victory, something Trump continues to deny. A few days after the attack on October 7th last year, Trump publicly criticized Netanyahu and said he was “unprepared for the deadly incursion from Gaza.” Trump said Netanyahu had recently abandoned the US The US has killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in 2020.

The two have since met to discuss a ceasefire agreement for Gaza.

Halie Soifer, head of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, said the conflict in the Middle East – including fighting with Hezbollah and Iran – has left Jewish voters “with a sense of vulnerability and concern about Israel's future.” Soifer previously advised Harris on national security issues.

She says Harris has consistently delivered his message of commitment to Israel's defense over the past year and that Harris and Biden have repeatedly ordered U.S. forces to shoot down Iranian missiles that targeted Israel.

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Megerian reported from Washington.