VIDEOS. Three sequences to remember from the national tribute paid to the French victims of October 7 in Israel

An unprecedented ceremony outside of Israel. Emmanuel Macron paid tribute, Wednesday February 7 at Les Invalides, to the French victims of the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7. These massacres caused the deaths of nearly 1,200 people, including 42 French people. Three chairs had been left empty in the family gallery, for the three nationals still presumed hostages of the Palestinian Islamist movement. Franceinfo looks back on the three notable sequences of this ceremony.

Maurice Ravel’s “Kaddish” plays in memory of the victims

The ceremony opened with the entry into the courtyard of Les Invalides of portraits of the victims. It was accompanied by a rendition of Kaddish by the composer Maurice Ravel, performed by the Republican Guard orchestra.

Emmanuel Macron denounces the “greatest anti-Semitic massacre of our century”

“Last October 7, at dawn, the unspeakable resurfaced from the depths of history”, declared the Head of State in his speech. He denounced “the greatest anti-Semitic massacre of our century”. “We are 68 million French people bereaved by the terrorist attacks of October 7”continued Emmanuel Macron.

Chopin’s “Funeral March” accompanies the departure of the portraits

After the bells ring, then a Marseillaise sung in front of a French flag and a minute of silence, the Republican Guard orchestra sang Chopin’s “Funeral March”. The portraits of the victims were taken out of the courtyard of the Invalides. The families and loved ones of the victims followed the procession.