Israel–Hamas war: Difference between revisions

Egypt said it warned Israel days before the attack that "an explosion of the situation is coming, and very soon, and it would be big."[112] Israel denied receiving such a warning,^[113] but the Egyptian claim was corroborated by Michael McCaul, Chairman of the US House Foreign Relations Committee, who said warnings were made three days before the attack.^[114]

The attack took place during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah on Shabbat,^[115] and a day after the 50th anniversary of the start of the Yom Kippur War, which also began with a surprise attack.^[116]

Events

Hamas attack

At around 6:30 a.m.

Palestinian militants opened fire on Israeli boats, while clashes broke out between Palestinians and the Israel Defense Forces along the Gaza perimeter fence.^[120] In the evening, Hamas launched another barrage of 150 rockets towards Israel, with explosions reported in Yavne, Givatayim, Bat Yam, Beit Dagan, Tel Aviv, and Rishon Lezion.^[117]

Simultaneously, around 2,500

Militants killed civilians at

An Israeli spokesman said militants had entered Israel through at least seven locations from both land and sea,[116] and invaded four small rural Israeli communities, the border city of Sderot, and two military bases.^[89] Israeli media reported that seven communities came under Hamas control, including Nahal Oz, Kfar Aza, Magen, Be'eri, and Sufa,^[141] and there were 21 active high-confrontation locations in southern Israel.^[142]

Attacks on military bases

Hamas militants carried out an amphibious

Fighting was reported at Re'im military base, headquarters of Israel's Gaza Division.^[36] It was later reported that Hamas took control of the base and took several Israeli soldiers captive,^[36] before the IDF regained control later in the day.^[146] The police station of Sderot came under Hamas control, with militants killing 30 Israelis, including policemen and civilians.^[147]

Israeli response

The initial attack coincided with the Jewish holidays of

The IDF declared a "state of readiness for war,"[117] mobilized tens of thousands of army reservists,^[105][119] and declared a state of emergency for areas within 80 kilometers (50 mi) Gaza.^[141] The Yamam counterterrorism unit was deployed,^[142] along with four new divisions, augmenting 31 existing battalions.^[116] Reservists were reported deployed in Gaza, in the West Bank, and along borders with Lebanon and Syria.^[153]

Residents near Gaza were asked to stay inside, while civilians in southern and central Israel were "required to stay next to shelters".^[119] The southern region of Israel was closed to civilian movement,^[142] and roads were closed around Gaza^[116] and Tel Aviv.^[119] While Ben Gurion Airport and Ramon Airport remained operational, multiple airlines cancelled flights to and from Israel.^[154]Israel Railways suspended service in parts of the country and replaced some routes with temporary bus routes,^[155][156] while cruise ships removed the ports of Ashdod and Haifa from their itineraries.^[157]

Defense Minister Gallant told a Knesset committee that the war would have three main phases. A first phase involving airstrikes and a ground maneuver to "destroy operatives and damage infrastructure to defeat and destroy Hamas," a second phase eliminating pockets of resistance, and a third creating "a new security regime" in the Gaza Strip and surrounding area.^[158][159] Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stated that "the territory of Gaza will ... decrease" after the war, leading to speculation that parts of Gaza may be annexed or a buffer zone established.^[160]

7 October

The IDF announced attacks in Gaza using fighter jets, targeting 17 Hamas military compounds and four command centers. The operation included strikes on the 11-story Palestine Tower in

By the morning, Israel had struck 426 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.[162] The town of Beit Hanoun was mostly leveled by airstrikes,^[163] and the Al-Amin Muhammad Mosque was destroyed.^[164][165] Targets included housing blocks, tunnels, homes of Hamas officials, and the Watan Tower, a hub for internet providers in the area.^[166][167] One Israeli airstrike killed 19 members of the same family (including women and children);^[168] survivors of the strike said there were no militants in their area, nor were they warned.^[168]

Approximately 18 hours after the stand-off began, the IDF announced they had freed the hostages in Be'eri.^[136] In Urim, a suburb of Ofakim, two Israelis were rescued by the IDF. Four Hamas militants were killed, and three Israeli soldiers were injured during the rescue.^[136]

Another Hamas rocket barrage was launched in the morning, with one rocket hitting the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.^[116][169] Hamas also fired 100 rockets at Sderot.^[166] The DFLP said that they were engaged with Israeli forces in Kfar Aza, Be'eri, and Kissufim.^[170]

The Israeli government's State Security Cabinet formally placed the country under a state of war for the first time since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.^[171][172] The IDF said two hostage situations had been "resolved",^[173] and recaptured Sderot police station, killing ten Hamas militants.^{[147][174][175]} They secured 22 locations from Palestinian forces but were still trying to clear eight others, including the rest of Sderot and Kfar Aza. In one community, they rescued 50 hostages. Several Palestinian gunmen riding in a stolen car were killed in a shootout near Ashkelon.^[162] More Palestinian militants entered Magen,^[176] and 70 Palestinian reinforcements arrived at Be'eri.^{[163][failed verification]}

Residents near Gaza were ordered to evacuate.^[162][176] Former brigadier general Gal Hirsch was appointed to lead recovery of missing and kidnapped citizens.^[177] The IDF called in up to 300,000 reservists, and said it aimed to eliminate Hamas's military and overthrow its rule in Gaza.^[163]

The IDF imposed a lockdown on the West Bank.^[178]

9 October

The IDF struck 500 targets in the Gaza Strip overnight, including the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp, reportedly causing dozens of casualties, including children.^[179] IDF regained full control over Israeli towns bordering Gaza. Operations against militants continued in Sderot.^[180] Hamas said that it would execute Israeli hostages if Israel continued to bombard "civilian homes without advanced warning."^[181]

Defense Minister Gallant announced a "total" blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off electricity and blocking the entry of food and fuel, adding "We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly."^[182] Human Rights Watch called the order "abhorrent" and called on the International Criminal Court to make "note of this call to commit a war crime."^[183][184] The IDF said 15 communities around the Gaza Strip had been evacuated.^[185]

The

Hamas fired another barrage of rockets towards Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with one rocket landing near a terminal of Ben Gurion Airport.^[163]

10 October

Israeli aircraft

Israeli forces reclaimed Kfar Aza and began collecting the dead, finding bodies of victims mutilated, with women and babies beheaded and burnt in their homes. The claims of beheaded babies has not been independently confirmed.[188]^[189] The bodies of 40 babies and young children were taken out on gurneys, out of at least 100 civilian victims.^{[190][191][192]}

After issuing evacuation warnings to prevent loss of civilian lives, the IDF launched airstrikes at the

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that the ministry was purchasing 10,000 rifles to arm security teams in border communities, mixed Jewish-Arab cities, and West Bank settlements. He added that assault rifles, helmets, and bulletproof vests were being distributed.^[195]

Hamas militants attacked another industrial zone in Ashkelon, where at least three of them were killed.^[193] Rockets were fired at Tel Aviv and Ashkelon.^[193]

11 October

Israeli warplanes struck and destroyed several buildings of the Islamic University of Gaza,^[196] saying that it had been turned into a weapons factory and training ground.^[197]

Israel formed an

Hamas fired rockets at Ashkelon.[193] A rocket strike forced UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who was visiting the town of Ofakim, to run for cover.^[199] One person was injured and four buildings were hit in a rocket attack on Sderot.^[200]

An Israeli airstrike killed four IFRC paramedics inside an ambulance.^[201]

The Gaza Strip's only power plant

Israel struck the Gaza City port with white phosphorus artillery projectiles.^[204][205]

12 October

Israel said it bombed Hamas's elite

Four people were injured and seven houses were struck by a rocket attack in Sderot.[207]

Israeli Defense Minister Gallant called on Palestinians to leave northern Gaza, including Gaza City, saying: "The camouflage of the terrorists is the civil population. Therefore, we need to separate them. So those who want to save their life, please go south."[218]

The IDF said it made

NBC News reported on "top secret" Hamas documents with plans to target elementary schools and a youth center in Sa'ad, to "kill as many people as possible", take hostages, and move them into the Gaza Strip. The plans were provided to NBC by "Israeli first responders."^[221]

The International Committee of the Red Cross issued a rare public appeal for a pause in hostilities,^[222] saying that while "nothing can justify the horrific attacks Israel suffered last weekend" that "those attacks cannot in turn justify the limitless destruction of Gaza", and that Israeli orders to evacuate northern Gaza along with the total siege on the territory were "not compatible with international humanitarian law".^[223]

The IDF announced a six-hour window from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time for refugees to flee south along specified routes within the Gaza Strip.^[224] An explosion at 5:30 p.m. along one of the safe routes killed 70, including women and children.^[225] Some sources attributed it to an IDF airstrike, while CNN said the cause was unclear. The Jerusalem Post said open-source analysts believed the explosion originated from a car on the ground, but the cause was unclear.^[226][227] The Financial Times carried out an investigation, concluding "analysis of the video footage rules out most explanations aside from an Israeli strike", although it was "difficult to conclusively prove whether these blasts came from an IDF strike, a potential Palestinian rocket misfire or even a car bomb."^[228] Former US army officer Wesley Clark told CNN he would be "very surprised if that would be an Israeli explosion... It looks like something engineered by Hamas to intimidate its own people", and added Hamas was making efforts to impede the evacuation of Palestinian civilians, employing human shield tactics, and obstructing the exit of Americans from the strip via the Egyptian border.^[229]

The IDF stated Hamas set up road blocks to keep Gaza residents from evacuating south and cause traffic jams.^[74]

The Palestine Ministry of Health announced that al-Durrah Children's Hospital in eastern Gaza was evacuated after it said it was targeted by white phosphorus munitions. Israel denied that it had used such munitions.^[230]

14 October

The IDF said it had killed Hamas's head of aerial operations Murad Abu Murad in an overnight airstrike.^[231]

Israeli minister Gideon Sa'ar told Channel 12 News that Gaza "must be smaller at the end of the war" and that "there should be an area that is classified as a security zone where whoever enters is intercepted." He added: "We must make the end of our campaign clear to everyone around us. Whoever starts a war against Israel must lose territory."^[232][233]

15 October

Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Herzog said Israel was "in the process of establishing ... a big humanitarian zone in the southern part of Gaza, with the UN" able to host hundreds of thousands of Gazans.^[234]

16 October

Seven paramedics were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the headquarters of Civil Defense in Gaza City.^[235]

A spokesperson for Hamas said they are willing to release international hostages "the moment the conditions on the ground allow."^[236]

17 October

Israel bombed areas of southern Gaza.^[237] Ministry of Health officials in Gaza reported heavy overnight bombing in Khan Younis, Rafah and Deir el-Balah had killed over 70 people, including families who had evacuated from Gaza City in the north.^[238][239]

An explosion occurred in the parking lot of the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in the center of Gaza City, burning some nearby vehicles. The cause of the explosion was disputed. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry attributed it to an Israeli airstrike and claimed it killed at least 500 civilians in the hospital.^[240][241] This claim was denied by the IDF, who asserted that the explosion resulted from a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, targeting the Israeli city of Haifa. Israel released footage of a rocket appearing to change course and flame out, followed by an explosion in the city below. The IDF also released what it claimed to be an intercepted phone conversation between Hamas militants acknowledging that the explosion was caused by a PIJ rocket.^[242] A PIJ spokesman denied any involvement.^{[243][244][245]}

On 18 October, President Biden said the Pentagon had independently concluded that the explosion was not caused by Israel, but by "the other team," based on data from the

The United States announced $100 million in aid to Gaza and the West Bank, and called for crossings to Gaza to be opened for aid.[252]

19 October

Israel bombed a building in the complex of the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, the oldest church in Gaza, killing at least 8 people and injuring "a large number."^[253][254]

20 October

Two hostages with American citizenship were released at the border between Gaza and Israel.[257]

21 October

A convoy of 20 aid trucks entered Gaza from Egypt through the

Hamas released two elderly Israeli women.[264] 85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz said the following day she was beaten on her way across the border, but treated kindly by her captors in Gaza.^[265][266]

24 October

Gaza's health ministry reported that over 700 Palestinians were killed overnight. The United Nations pleaded with Israel to allow more aid into Gaza.^[267]

In remarks to the Security Council, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern at "clear violations of international humanitarian law" in Gaza and also said that "It is important to....recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.", leading the Israeli ambassador to call for Guterres' resignation.^{[268][269][270][271][272]}

The New York Times published a video analysis casting doubt on the official Israeli and U.S. narrative on the al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion, saying a widely-publicized video of an alleged Palestinian rocket breaking up in mid-air in fact showed the break-up of an Israeli rocket some miles away and unrelated to the hospital incident.^[273]

Other confrontations

Israel–Lebanon border

On 8 October,

On 9 October, the IDF claimed to have killed several infiltrators from Lebanon and fired artillery across the border. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militia later claimed responsibility for the armed infiltration.^[276] Later in the day, renewed fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli troops resulted in the deaths of three Hezbollah gunmen^[277] and three IDF soldiers, including a senior officer. The IDF's Home Front Command ordered residents in 28 towns in northern Israel to seek refuge in bomb shelters.^[2] Artillery shelling was also reported from militants based in Syria.^[193]

On 10 October, Hezbollah fired an anti-tank guided missile at an Israeli military vehicle near Avivim, prompting a retaliatory Israeli helicopter strike.^[24] Shells from Syria struck Israeli positions in the Golan Heights, and Israeli forces returned fire.

On 13 October, the IDF fired artillery into southern Lebanon, after an explosion that caused minor damage to a section of the Israel-Lebanon border wall, near the kibbutz of Hanita.^[278] A Lebanese Reuters correspondent was killed and at least four other journalists were injured.^[279]

On 14 October, the IDF said it had killed three infiltrators from Lebanon in a drone strike near Margaliot.^[280] Later in the afternoon, Hezbollah shelled five IDF outposts in the occupied Shebaa Farms.^[281]

On 15 October, the headquarters of the United Nations peacekeeping force in south Lebanon (

On 16 October, the IDF announced the evacuation of residents of settlements two kilometers away from the Lebanese border.[287] In the afternoon, Hezbollah opened fire on IDF positions near the border and claimed to be destroying surveillance cameras on several Israeli Army posts, prompting the IDF to respond with artillery.^[288][289] In the evening, anti-tank missiles were fired at an IDF tank. The IDF responded with artillery.^[290]

On 17 October, an anti-tank missile from Lebanon landed in the Israeli town of Metula.^[291] The IDF said it had killed four would-be infiltrators along the Lebanese border. Lebanese state media reported that the village of Dhayra and other areas along the western section of the border came under "continuous" bombardment overnight.^[292]

Syria

On 12 October, Syria said Israel launched attacks on the international airports of both Damascus and Aleppo.^[293] The airports were temporarily closed.

On 14 October, Israeli aircraft bombed Aleppo Airport in Syria again, causing it to close.^[294]

On 22 October, Israeli aircraft struck Aleppo and Damascus airports again, knocking both out of service. Two workers from the Syrian meteorology service based in Damascus airport were killed.^[295]

On 24 October, Israeli airstrikes killed eight Syrian soldiers and wounded seven more in the Daraa Governorate after two rockets were launched from Syria.^[30]

West Bank

By October 10, confrontations between rock-throwing Palestinians and Israeli forces had left 15 Palestinians dead, including two in East Jerusalem.^[193]

On 11 October, Israeli settlers attacked the village of

On 12 October, two Palestinians were killed after Israeli settlers interrupted a funeral procession for Palestinians killed in prior settler attacks and opened fire.[297]^[298][206]

On 18 October, protests broke out over the

Around 1,400 Israelis and foreigners have been killed since 7 October,

About 200–250 people were

An open letter published in The Lancet by a group of 1,500 Israeli health-care professionals expressed shock at "the greatest loss of civilian life since the establishment of the state of Israel", and the indiscriminate "barbaric rampage" through "entire villages in the south of Israel", which it termed a "crime against humanity". The letter called on the international medical community to "condemn the savage massacre, to immediately call for guarantees for the safety and health of all those being kept hostage, and to unequivocally call for the immediate and unconditional return of our families and friends who have been cruelly taken hostage".^[321]

Journalists in Israel

Yaniv Zohar, a photographer for the

Multiple attacks against Arab journalists were reportedly committed by Israeli police. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that on 7 October, a television crew from Sky News Arabia was assaulted, and their equipment damaged by police in Ashkelon, with correspondent Firas Lutfi saying that police aimed rifles at his head, forced him to undress and evicted them from the area under escort after confiscating their phones.^[326] A crew from BBC Arabic was stopped, held at gun point, and assaulted by police in Tel Aviv on the night of 13–14 October.^[327][328]

Migrant workers

At least 50 migrant workers were killed due to Hamas' attack on 7 October and around 100,000 migrant workers are trapped in Israel during the conflict due to debt from huge fees they had to pay to recruitment agencies for getting jobs.^[329]

Gaza Strip

Civilians

The Gaza Strip suffered heavy civilian casualties from Israeli bombardment.

United Nations school in the al-Maghazi refugee camp killed at least six people.^[332] Significant civilian casualties were reported following the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion.^[245] Other mass casualty strikes included the Church of Saint Porphyrius airstrike and the al-Shati refugee camp airstrike

.

On 13 October, the Palestinian Ministry of Health noted 20

ice cream trucks.^[335][336]

In the West Bank, related violence during the conflict killed 61 Palestinians and wounded at least 300.^[337] Several thousand Gazan workers were in Israel at the time when the conflict started. As of October 16 some of them were detained at a "holding facility" in the West Bank while others sought refuge in the Palestinian communities of the West Bank.^[338]

Journalists in Gaza

Main article:

List of journalists killed in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war

At least six Palestinian journalists in Gaza were reported to have been killed by Israeli attacks while in the line of duty. Ibrahim Mohammad Lafi, a photographer for Ain Media, was fatally shot during the attack on the Erez crossing on 7 October, while Mohammad Jarghoun, a reporter with Smart Media, was killed east of Rafah on the same day. Freelance journalist Mohammad el-Salhi was also shot dead on the border east of Bureij refugee camp on 7 October. On 9 October, Saeed al-Taweel, editor-in-chief of Al-Khamsa News website, Mohammed Subh and Hisham Alnwajha were killed by an airstrike while filming an anticipated attack in Gaza City. Two other journalists were reported missing, and another was injured by shrapnel. The homes of two journalists were destroyed by shelling, and the offices of four media outlets were destroyed by airstrikes.^[326] On 19 October, the Committee to Protect Journalists stated 21 journalists were confirmed dead, eight were injured, and three were missing or detained.^[339] On 22 October, Rushdi Sarraj was killed by an Israeli airstrike on his home.^[340]

Health and aid workers

On 11 October,

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it had counted 16 medical personnel killed since 7 October.^[342] MSF said a nurse and an ambulance driver were killed, and several others injured in Israeli strikes on the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis and the Indonesia Hospital in Gaza City.^[119] A paramedic was reported to be in critical condition.^{[117][343][344]} The Indonesian Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) confirmed a staff member was killed near an operational MER-C vehicle.^[345][346] On 22 October, UNRWA stated 29 staff members had been killed in Gaza.^[347]

Militants

The Israeli Defense Forces estimated on 10 October that the bodies of approximately 1,000 Palestinian militants had been found inside Israel.[18] Several Hamas leaders have been reported killed.^[348] The following day, the head of Hamas's National Relations Office, Zakaria Abu Muammar, was reportedly killed in Khan Yunis.^[349] On 11 October, the IDF confirmed the death of Jawad Abu Shamala, who served as Hamas's economy minister, in a drone strike.^[350][351] Further, on 14 October, the IDF announced the killing of Hamas's head of aerial operations, Murad Abu Murad, in an overnight airstrike.^[231][352]

On 16 October, another member of the Hamas political bureau,

Foreign and dual-national casualties

As of 11 October, the The Washington Post reported that persons from 24 countries had been killed or went missing during the conflict.^[359]

Foreign casualties in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war

Country	Deaths	Kidnapped	Missing	Ref.
United States	32[360]	Unknown	13	[361]
Thailand	30	17	14	[361][362][363]
France	30	Unknown	11	[361]
Russia	19	2	7	[364]
Ukraine	19	Unknown	8	[365][366]
Nepal	10	17	1	[36]
Argentina	9	Unknown	20	[367]
Portugal	9	0	3	[368]
Lebanon	8	0	0	[369]
Ethiopia	7	0	0	[370]
Canada	6	Unknown	2	[361]
United Kingdom	6	Unknown	10	[371]
Romania	5	1	2	[372][373]
Austria	4	Unknown	1	[374][375]
Chile	4	1	0	[376]
China	4	0	2	[361]
Philippines	4	Unknown	2	[377]
Belarus	3	Unknown	1	[378]
Brazil	3	Unknown	0	[379]
Turkey	3	Unknown	Unknown	[380]
Colombia	2	Unknown	Unknown	[381]
Paraguay	2	Unknown	2	[382]
Peru	2	Unknown	5	[361]
South Africa	2	Unknown	Unknown	[383]
Syria	2	0	0	[384]
Australia	1	Unknown	Unknown	[385]
Azerbaijan	1	Unknown	Unknown	[361]
Cambodia	1	0	0	[386]
Estonia	1	0	0	[387]
Germany	1	5	Unknown	[388]
Honduras	1	Unknown	Unknown	[389]
Ireland	1	Unknown	Unknown	[382][390]
Italy	1	Unknown	2	[391][392]
Kazakhstan	1	0	0	[393]
Latvia	1	0	0	[394]
Lithuania	1	0	0	[395]
Spain	1	1	0	[396][397]
Sri Lanka	1	2	2	[398][399]
Switzerland	1	Unknown	Unknown	[400]
Denmark	0	1	0	[401][402]
Mexico	0	2	0	[382]
Serbia	0	1	0	[403]
Tanzania	0	0	2	[404]

Historical context

In 2005, Israel withdrew its troops and citizens from the Gaza Strip, aiming to lessen its direct control over the area. However, in 2007, Hamas seized control of Gaza by force, escalating tensions. Israel imposed a blockade, while Hamas tunneled under the border wall to launch cross-border attacks and fired rockets into Israeli territory. This led to multiple conflicts, escalating into multiple outright wars, wreaking havoc on civilians from both sides, and a preponderance of Palestinian deaths. Despite the violence, the Israeli leadership found this arrangement manageable, relying on the Iron Dome rocket defense system for defense and utilizing targeted strikes, euphemistically dubbed "mowing the grass," to keep Hamas in check, aiming to minimize the militant threat to a tolerable extent.^[45]

American political scientist

According to an analysis in The Independent, the blockade on Gaza created hopelessness among Palestinians, which was exploited by Hamas, convincing young Palestinian men that violence was the only solution.^[418] Daoud Kuttab writes that Palestinian attempts to solve the conflict via negotiations or non-violent boycotts have been fruitless.^[414] For The Times of Israel, Tal Schneider wrote: "For years, the various governments led by Benjamin Netanyahu took an approach that divided power between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank—bringing Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to his knees while making moves that propped up the Hamas terror group. The idea was to prevent Abbas—or anyone else in the Palestinian Authority's West Bank government—from advancing toward the establishment of a Palestinian state."^[419]

Hamas said its attack was in response to the blockade on Gaza, continued settlements, Israeli settler violence, and restrictions on movement between Israel and Gaza.^[150] Following the attack, American counterterrorism analyst Bruce Hoffman pointed to the 1988 Hamas Charter, alleging that Hamas had always had "genocidal" intentions and that it had no intentions for "moderation, restraint, negotiation, and the building of pathways to peace".^[420] Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University and a former Israeli military intelligence officer, argued that the attacks were "part of the long-term vision of Hamas to eradicate Israel" and that "Hamas is not ready at all to give up on the jihad".^[421]

Humanitarian situation

In Gaza

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has been termed a "crisis" and a "catastrophe."

On 16 October, doctors warned of an impending disease outbreak due to hospital overcrowding and unburied bodies.[423] The same day, the World Health Organization stated there were only "24 hours of water, electricity and fuel left" before "a real catastrophe."^[426] On 18 October, the United States vetoed a UN resolution urging humanitarian aid to Gaza.^[427] The World Health Organization stated the situation in Gaza was "spiralling out of control."^[428]

On 20 October,

In just one week, Israel dropped more than 6,000 bombs on Gaza.[438] By 16 October, airstrikes had killed 2,750 people, including more than 700 children, and wounded nearly 10,000.^[439] An additional 1,000 people were missing beneath rubble.^[440] On 16 October, Israeli airstrikes destroyed a UNRWA humanitarian aid supply depot.^[441][442] The same day, airstrikes destroyed the headquarters of the Palestinian Civil Defence, the agency responsible for emergency response services, including firefighting and search and rescue.^[443]

On 17 October, Israel conducted intensive airstrikes in southern Gaza, in areas it told residents to seek refuge.

On 20 October, Israeli continued to bombard south Gaza.[450] IDF spokesman Nir Dinar said, "There are no safe zones."^[451] On 21 October, Israel intensified its airstrikes in advance of an expected ground invasion.^[452][453] On 22 October, Israeli airplanes bombed the areas around the Al Shifa and Al Quds hospitals on a night described as the "bloodiest" of the conflict so far.^[454][455] On 23 October, airstrikes killed 436 people in the al-Shati camp and southern Khan Younis in just one night.^[456][457]

Healthcare

The

On 23 October, the Indonesia Hospital ran out of fuel and completely lost power.^[482] On 24 October, a Health Ministry spokesman announced the healthcare system had "totally collapsed," with 65 medics killed, 25 ambulances destroyed, and many hospitals soon shutting down due to lack of fuel.^[483] The World Health Organization warned 46 of Gaza's 72 healthcare facilities had stopped functioning.^[484] The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital faced a dialysis crisis, with hundreds sharing only 24 dialysis machines.^[485] On 25 October, Oxfam announced Gaza had "virtually run out" of water.^[486]

Water supply

Israel's blockade of water pipelines exacerbated

By 17 October, the UN noted Gaza's last seawater desalination plant had shut down.^[496] The Guardian noted fears were growing people had begun to die from dehydration.^[487] On 18 October, Israel announced it would allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza but not fuel.^[497] In response, the UNRWA announced it was seeking a resumption in fuel imports so Gaza's water pumps could resume operation.^[497] On 19 October, the UN reported Gazans were surviving on a daily average of three liters of water each.^[498] The World Health Organization recommends people have access to a minimum of 50 to 100 liters per day.^[496] On 21 October, Dr. Adam C. Levine, the chief of global emergency medicine at the Alpert Medical School, noted diseases caused by a lack of clean water and sanitation could "kill more civilians than bombs or bullets."^[499] On 22 October, the UN stated Gazans had resorted to drinking dirty water.^[500]

Displacement

On 10 October, the

On 9 October, Israel implemented a

By 16 October, no aid had entered Gaza since the Israeli blockade was implemented.[515] The IDF continued to bomb the Rafah crossing, as Israel declined to assure Egyptian authorities it would pause airstrikes for civilian aid convoys.^[516] In Israel, aid to Gaza was reportedly prevented by far-right politicians allied with Netanyahu.^[517] On 17 October, the UNRWA stated that there was currently "no water or electricity in Gaza. Soon there will be no food or medicine either."^[518][519]

On 18 October, Israel announced it would allow food, water, and medicine to be delivered to a "safe zone" in west

A Magen David Adom ambulance was reportedly taken by Palestinian militants to Gaza during their attack on 7 October.^[122] The Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon was struck by rockets from Gaza on 8 October^[116] and on 11 October.^[533]

As of 17 October, some 120,000 Israeli civilians from both southern and northern Israel were internally displaced,^[534] including almost all 30,000 residents of Sderot and residents of communities within four kilometers of the Gaza border. Evacuations of residents in communities four to seven kilometers from the border were ongoing. An unknown number of residents of northern Israel had moved towards the center of the country, fearing a second front opening up with Lebanon.^[535][536] As of 22 October, this figure was raised to 200,000.^[42]

War crimes

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The

In a 12 October preliminary legal assessment condemning Hamas's attacks in Israel, international humanitarian law scholar and Dean of Cornell Law School Jens David Ohlin said the evidence suggested Hamas's "killings and kidnappings" potentially violated Articles 6–8 of the Rome Statute as well as the Genocide Convention and were "crimes against humanity".^[542] On 15 October, TWAILR published a statement signed by over 800 legal scholars expressing "alarm about the possibility of the crime of genocide being perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip."^[543]

The Israeli order to impose a "complete siege" on Gaza in which food, fuel and water would be denied was criticized as a blatant war crime by human rights organizations,^[544][545] with Tom Dannenbaum, co-director of the Center for International Law & Governance at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, writing that the order "commands the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, which is a violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime (ICC Statute, article 8(2)(b)(xxv)). It may also satisfy the legal threshold for the crime against humanity of inhumane acts (7(1)(K)) and, depending on what happens from here, other crimes against humanity, such as those relating to killing (murder and extermination) (7(1)(a-b))."^[546]

Independent United Nations experts

On 8 October, the United Nations Security Council held a closed-door meeting for 90 minutes on the conflict. The meeting concluded without the unanimity required for a joint statement to be released.^[549]

On 9 October, Reuters reported that Qatar was mediating talks between Israel and Hamas to secure the release of female Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel releasing 36 Palestinian women and children.^[550] Israel denied such negotiations were taking place.^[550]

An Egyptian official told the Associated Press that Israel sought Egyptian assistance to ensure the safety of hostages held by Palestinian militants, and that Egypt's intelligence chief contacted Hamas and Islamic Jihad to seek information.^[551] Egyptian officials were reportedly mediating the release of Palestinian women in Israeli prisons in exchange for Israeli women captured by Palestinian militants.^[163]

Diplomats, concerned that Israel has no plan post war and looking to limit the humanitarian crisis as well as prevent any regional expansion of the war, are urging delay of a full-scale land invasion of Gaza.^[552] Russia requested a United Nations Security Council vote on 15 October on a draft resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire.^[553] The Russian draft was rejected while negotiations continued on a Brazilian draft resolution.^[554] On 18 October, the United States vetoed a UN resolution that "condemned the Hamas attack on Israel, called for humanitarian pauses in all attacks to allow the delivery of lifesaving aid to civilians, and called for Israel to withdraw its directive for civilians to evacuate the northern part of the Gaza Strip."

The US

Hours after Hamas's attack, U.S. President

On 11 October, an emergency unity government was formally announced between Likud and National Unity following a joint statement from the latter party, with Benny Gantz, a former defence minister and military chief of staff, joining a war cabinet also consisting of Netanyahu as Prime Minister and Yoav Gallant as Defence Minister. The statement said the unity government would not promote any policy or laws except those related to the ongoing fighting with Hamas.

Reactions in Gaza ranged from anger at the international community's tepid response to outright fear.

Gazans in Israel on work permits were unable to return to Gaza.^[594][595] In interviews, workers indicated they were subject to intensive police questioning and abuse.^[596] Speaking to The Washington Post, one man stated, "I can’t stay here, eating and drinking while my children are dying. There is no electricity or water or anything. Let me die there between my children."^[596]

Due to the Israeli Air Force's intense bombardments, many Gazans expressed fears they could die at any time. In an interview, 22-year-old U.S. citizen Mai Abushaaban, said, "People are worried, people are essentially preparing to die."^[597] Muhammad Smiry, a journalist, wrote, "We are losing everyone and everything."^[598] Saeb al-Jarz, a 27-year-old engineer, said, "I just really, really want to live."^[599]

Among healthcare workers in Gaza, reactions ranged from grief to outrage. One doctor at the

The Palestinian Education Ministry said schools in the Gaza Strip were closed until further notice.^[120] On 7 October, the Palestinian Health Ministry appealed for blood donations.^[116] On 13 October, the spokesperson for Gaza's Interior Ministry said Israel had not been honest about only striking military targets, and that "everyone in Gaza is a target."^[608] Yahya al-Sarraj, the mayor of Gaza City, noted the Israeli siege was a violation of international law and urged the international community to "support the victims."^[609]

Hamas military aims

Hamas stated it abducted Israelis to secure the freedom of Palestinian prisoners, currently estimated to number between 4,499 and 5,200, including 170 children.

On 13 October, Hamas claimed its aim was to attack Israeli military bases and instructions were given to not target civilians.[613]^[614] Hamas official Basem Naim denied any civilians were killed, saying that only Israeli soldiers were killed.^[615] A spokesperson for Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated they did not consider Israelis to be civilians, due to Israel's mandatory military service.^[616]

Senior Hamas official Khaled Mashal said that the group was fully aware of the consequences of attack on Israel, stating that Palestinian liberation comes with sacrifices.^[617]

Reactions in the West Bank

Initially, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asserted the Palestinians' right to self-defense against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops"^[618] and condemned the orders by Israel for residents to evacuate north Gaza, labeling it a "second Nakba".^[619] Later, Abbas denounced Hamas' actions, rejected the killing of civilians on both sides, and stated that Hamas did not represent the Palestinians.^[620]

Following the attack, celebrations occurred in

In contrast to previous Palestinian–Israeli wars, the initial part of the war was marked by a more muted reaction. While the populace of the region tends to be sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians many governments in the region have strongly negative views of Hamas due to its affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood and its ties with Iran. This antipathy toward Hamas has had several impacts. The official reactions from many states in the Arab world, particularly states aligned with Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have been neutral and confined to press statements. News programs in countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia do not book Hamas officials for interviews, however Arabic-speaking Jews are frequently invited. In speaking of the IDF, anchors in the UAE and Saudi Arabia no longer refer to it as an "occupation army" but just the Israeli army.^[624] This neutrality began to fade in response to the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion. Despite strong evidence that the cause of the explosion was a faulty Palestinian missile, many regional governments condemned Israel.^[625][626] This condemnation and subsequent diplomatic fallout had a disastrous effect on the burgeoning diplomatic relations between Israel and many Arab states.^[627]

There have been numerous rallies in support of the Palestinians, nevertheless populism and polarization have also tempered public reaction in the region. While many Lebanese and Syrians are sympathetic to the Palestinians, Hamas' affiliation with Iran and Hezbollah, which are hated by many due to their actions in the

Iran has praised the attack while being cautious to distance itself from the planning and execution of it.[629] Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad told the BBC that Hamas had direct backing for the attack from Iran;^[630][631] European, Iranian and Syrian officers corroborated Iran's involvement,^[632][633] while senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mirdawi said the group planned the attacks on its own.^[244] The Israeli army and the United States say that there is no evidence that Iran is connected with the attack by Hamas.^[634] American intelligence appeared to show that Hamas' attack on Israel caught Iranian authorities by surprise.^[635]

According to a report by

The Iranian government opened an account for people to deliver charitable aid.[639] It also opened a website and reported that more than six million volunteered to fight.^[640] Khamenei threatened that Islamic resistance is going to become unstoppable should the war continue.^[641] His spokesperson later said that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal would have delayed it but Israel would have collapsed within five years.^[642]

United States

U.S. Defense Secretary

On 15 October, it was reported that a US naval strike group composed of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea, and the guided missile destroyers USS Laboon, USS Mason, and USS Gravely was deployed to the eastern Mediterranean.^[646]

On 17 October, it was reported that a US naval group consisting of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan, the amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde, and the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall, was deployed to the eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea to transport the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in case they were needed in the area.^[647]

On 19 October, the United States Department of Defense announced that the

International

International leaders, including from Argentina,^[653] India,^[654][655] the United States, and European countries condemned the attacks by Hamas, expressed solidarity with Israel, and said Israel has a right to defend itself from armed attacks and describing Hamas's tactics as terrorism.^[83][187] Most Latin American governments condemned Hamas's attacks in Israel, while some expressed solidarity with Palestinians such as Colombia.^[656] In a White House briefing, President Joe Biden expressed solidarity with Israel.^[657][658] The European Union announced it would review aid to Palestinian authorities to ensure the aid was not funding terrorism, and subsequently announced that immediate humanitarian aid to Gaza would be tripled.^[659][660] Austria, Germany, and Sweden suspended development aid to Palestine in response to Hamas's attack and said that they would review other projects and aid given.^{[661][662][663]} The World Uyghur Congress released a statement condemning "horrific attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians".^[664] Croatia's president Zoran Milanovic publicly stated that Israel had lost his sympathy due to its humanitarian crimes and "reprisal actions" in Gaza.^[665] Colombian president Gustavo Petro likened IDF attacks against Palestinians to Nazis and asked the Israeli ambassador to "apologize and leave the country"^[666][667] Spain's deputy prime minister Yolanda Díaz called on the international community to put pressure on Israel to stop what she called a massacre in Gaza.^[668]

Responses from African governments varied, showing division about the source of the conflict and who is to blame. However, most expressed grief and deep concerns about the outbreak of violence, with condemnations of attacks against civilians and calls for restraint and de-escalation to prevent further loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives.^[669]

As many as 20,000 Thai workers (around half of Israel's migrant work force) live all over Israel, including areas close to Gaza.^[670] Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said their stance towards "the deadly Hamas-led attack against Israel is one of neutrality, and the Kingdom promotes a solution that would allow Palestine and Israel to coexist."^[671]

Evacuations of foreign nationals

On 12 October, the United Kingdom arranged flights for its citizens in Israel; the first plane departed Ben Gurion Airport that day. The government had said before that it would not be evacuating its nationals due to available commercial flights. However, the flights were commercial.^[677] Nepal arranged a flight to evacuate at least 254 of its citizens who were studying in Israel.^[678][679] India launched Operation Ajay to evacuate its citizens from Israel.^[680] Ukraine has facilitated the evacuation of around 450 of its citizens from Israel as of 18 October, with additional evacuation flights in the planning for the near future.^[681]

Visits by foreign leaders

On 17 October, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Israel to express solidarity with the country. On his departure from Ben-Gurion airport, he was evacuated to a shelter after a rocket alarm went off.^[682]

On 18 October, US President Joe Biden arrived in Israel and was received at Ben-Gurion airport by Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu. At a news conference, he said Israel did not commit the al-Ahli hospital bombing in Gaza and blamed what he called "the other team" for the attack.^[683] In the wake of the attack, a summit in Amman hosted by King Abdullah II that was also to be attended by Biden, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi was cancelled by the Jordanian government.^[684]

British Prime Minister

On 24 October, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Israel to express solidarity with the country. He said that the anti-ISIL coalition should also fight against Hamas.^[687]

Calls for ceasefire

Numerous heads of state, government officials, and international bodies have called for a

Both Israel and the United States rejected calls for a ceasefire. On 24 October, US President Joe Biden stated, "We should have those hostages released and then we can talk.”^[703] The same day, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stated, “How can you agree to a cease-fire with someone who swore to kill and destroy your own existence?”^[704] He instead vowed "to destroy Hamas."^[704]

Media coverage

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Disinformation

Unconfirmed reports of sexual violence, decapitation, and torture

Unconfirmed or disputed reports

Unverified information has been quickly published and spread during the conflict, through social media, politicians, and mainstream news outlets. While some stories have had follow-up information that clarifies or adds context to the original posted story, it has taken time due to the widespread conflict and lack of returning audience to read or hear the additional information.^[188]

Decapitations

In the aftermath of the initial Hamas assault, witnesses from the IDF and the first responder organisation ZAKA reported seeing bodies of beheaded infants at the site of the Kfar Aza massacre.^{[707][708][709]} During Antony Blinken's visit to Israel, he was shown photos of the massacre by Hamas of Israeli civilians and soldiers; among other things Blinken confirmed that he saw beheaded IDF soldiers.^[710] US President Joe Biden separately said that he had seen photographic evidence of terrorists beheading children, The White House subsequently clarified that Biden was alluding to news reports on beheadings, which have not contained or referred to photographic evidence.^[188] NBC News stated that the claim was likely erroneous, and based on the conflation of two separate statements made by IDF soldiers.^[711] As of 12 October, CNN extensively reviewed online media content to verify Hamas-related atrocities but found no evidence to support claims of decapitated children.^[712]

A ZAKA volunteer reported on 14 October seeing bodies of children with severe injuries and burns. Some of the deceased children appeared to have been decapitated, although the exact circumstances were not clear.^[713] Chen Kugel, the head of the Israeli National Center of Forensic Medicine, said "We also have bodies coming in without heads, but we can't definitely say it was from beheadings. Heads can also be blown off due to explosive devices, missiles, and the like."^[714]

Sexual violence

Rape and sexual violence against Israeli women were reported, notably during the Re'im music festival massacre.^[715] Reports in Tablet,^[716] Ynet,^[717] Vice,^[718] PBS NewsHour,^[719] The Economist,^[720] India Today,^[721] the Hindustan Times,^[722] and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency were sourced to named and anonymous eye-witnesses present at the massacre.^[717]

An 8 October report by The Times of Israel referenced videos it said "have raised concerns of sexual assault against women".^{[723][717][724]} However, as of 11 October, Yuval Shany wrote it was too soon to know whether there had been a pattern of sexual assault, as there had not yet been time to formally take testimonies from victims and witnesses.^[717] These reports of sexual violence were repeated by Israeli officials, US President Biden,^[725] UK security minister Tom Tugendhat,^[726] and a number of journalists or media outlets (e.g. Jake Tapper and ABC News).^{[727][728][729]}

On 11 October, Jewish-American news media organization The Forward said, "Biden, Netanyahu, celebrities and columnists have rushed to condemn rape. But the IDF does not yet have any evidence it happened."^[717] As of 13 October, FactCheck.org concluded "there are no publicly confirmed examples of sexual assault."^[724] An Arab Israeli council member in the city of Lod told The New York Times that local Arab youth had seen "images of slaughter, kidnap and rape", which weakened their initial support for Hamas.^[730]

On 24 October, Israeli authorities screened footage of atrocities committed during Hamas' incursion to a small group of foreign journalists. In one clip a partially burnt female corpse was seen, with her dress pulled up to around her waist and underwear missing. An Israeli official said that authorities had evidence of rape.^[731]

Evaluations since 14 October

On 14 October, Israel's military

On 20 October, the remains of victims from the Hamas attack and the analysis of the bodies by a team of Israeli and international forensic experts were displayed at Israel’s Forensic Pathology Center for the media. These included charred hands with marks indicating the victims’ hands were bound behind their backs with metal wire before being burned alive. A large charred mass that when observed by CT scan show the remains of a parent and child who were bound together before being burned alive. Many of the victims had soot in their trachea, indicating that they were executed through immolation.^[734]

Regional and global effects

The outbreak of war led to increased dislike of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government from Israeli citizens due to a perceived failure of leadership on the issue,^[735] with increased calls for Netanyahu's resignation.^[736]

Global attention on Hamas had implications for countries like Turkey and Qatar, which have strong ties with Hamas, and the United States was actively working with Qatar to secure the release of hostages.^[737]

Hamas's actions had a significant impact on diplomatic efforts, potentially derailing a US-brokered deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The New York Times noted that the prospects of Israeli and Saudi normalization seemed less likely due to concerns about the situation's escalation and Palestinian rights. Additionally, there were speculations that Iran might have been trying to disrupt relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.^[738] On 14 October, Saudi Arabia suspended talks on the possible normalization of relations with Israel.^[739]

Various leaders and experts speculated about the potential for the conflict to expand, and even lead to a

Ukraine expressed concerns that Russia might exploit the Israel–Hamas conflict to diminish international support for Ukraine, while Russia portrayed it as a Western policy failure. Russian President Vladimir Putin characterized the conflict as an example of the failure of United States policy in the Middle East and suggested it would affect Western support for Ukraine, potentially impacting Russia's relations with Israel.^[741]

See also

• Timeline of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 2023
• Outline of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
• List of wars involving Israel
• List of wars involving the State of Palestine
• List of wars: 2003–present
• International recognition of Israel
• International recognition of the State of Palestine

Notes