She still keeps his jacket. Folded carefully in a drawer, it is a small talisman of a life that was abruptly severed on Oct. 7, 2023 — an attack that upended families across Israel and reverberated in diaspora communities from New York to Tel Aviv. In an interview with CBS News marking the second anniversary, the mother of an Israeli-American who was killed that day described the slow work of grief and the practical steps she has taken to “find a path forward” amid a conflict that remains politically and legally fraught.

The woman, who has largely stayed out of the public spotlight since the killing of her son, said community solidarity and advocacy have been central to her recovery. She has joined other relatives seeking clearer answers about the circumstances of the attack, greater recognition from U.S. officials for dual-nationals killed or taken hostage, and sustained diplomatic pressure to prevent a replay of the violence. “We cannot bring him back,” she told CBS News, “but we can make sure his story matters — and that something changes.”

Her account underscores a pattern that has complicated U.S.-Israeli relations and shaped congressional debate in Washington: the intersecting demands of families for accountability, the American government’s commitment to Israel’s security, and a parallel international call for humanitarian relief and legal scrutiny in Gaza. For many bereaved relatives, these are not abstract policy disputes but immediate questions of evidence, access to information and redress.

Human rights groups and international legal experts have long argued that the events of Oct. 7 and the subsequent conduct of hostilities raise issues that warrant independent investigation. Families such as the one CBS interviewed have pressed U.S. lawmakers to support transparent inquiries while also ensuring that humanitarian corridors remain open to civilians caught in the conflict. The dual focus — on justice for victims and protection for noncombatants — reflects a diplomatic tightrope: allies must balance counterterrorism cooperation with obligations under international humanitarian law.

The mother’s evolving public role — from private mourner to advocate — has also mirrored shifts in how diasporic communities engage with homeland crises. Jewish and Arab-American organizations have ramped up support services for survivors and relatives, offered crisis counseling, and lobbied for consular and legal assistance. In doing so, they aim to translate personal loss into institutional change: better protections for dual nationals, improved mechanisms for hostage negotiation and clearer lines of accountability when violence crosses borders.

As the second anniversary passed, memorials in Israel and abroad were marked by calls for remembrance and reflection. For the mother interviewed by CBS, the ritual of memory has become a platform: honoring her son’s life while urging policymakers to learn lessons that might prevent future tragedies. “My grief is still with me,” she said, “but it is no longer only for me. It is for all the families who still wait for answers.”

Her story is a reminder that the human consequences of October 7 continue to shape international diplomacy and domestic politics — and that, years on, the personal pursuit of closure remains inseparable from larger debates over security, law and humanitarian responsibility.