Israel-Hamas war (2023-present)

Gaza–Israel war (2023–present)
Part of the Palestine–Israel conflict
Gaza under Palestinian control   Gaza under Israeli occupation   Furthest Israeli advance in Gaza   Evacuated areas inside Israel   Furthest Palestinian advance in Israel   Areas of Gaza subject to Israeli evacuation orders.
Date 7 October 2023 – present (1 year, 6 months, 3 weeks and 1 day) Location Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Iran Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Gaza Strip Hamas Palestinian Islamic Jihad Fatah (military) PFLP DFLP Non-Palestinian groups: Hezbollah Ansarallah	Israel Supported by: United States Germany United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Ismail Haniyeh Mohammed Al-Deif Yahya Sinwar Ziyad al-Nakhalah Nayef Hawatmeh Ahmad Saadat Hassan Nasrallah Abdul-Malik al-Houthi	Benjamin Netanyahu Isaac Herzog Yoav Gallant Benny Gantz Herzi Halevi Yaron Finkelman
Units involved
Palestinian Joint Operations Room Al-Qassam Brigades Al-Quds Brigades Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades National Resistance Brigades	Israel Defense Forces Golani Brigade Givati Brigade Israel Police Shin Bet
Strength
20,000–40,000 6,000 entered Israel	530,500
Casualties and losses
Gaza Strip: 34,535+ killed 77,704+ wounded 8,000+ missing West Bank: 435+ killed 4,700+ wounded Inside Israel: 1,000+ militants killed (according to Israel) Lebanon: 330+ killed	Israel: 1,160+ killed 10,550+ wounded 245+ captured Inside Gaza: 262+ soldiers killed 1,559+ soldiers wounded 1 Sikorsky CH-53 Helicopter destroyed

The Israel–Hamas war is an ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Palestine. It is part of the Gaza–Israel conflict, which is part of the Israel–Palestine conflict.

The war began on 7 October 2023, which was Simchat Torah (also known as Shemini Atzeret), a major festival and holiday on the Jewish calendar. That morning, Palestinian terror groups from Gaza launched an offensive on Israel called Operation Al Aqsa Flood.

These groups, led by Hamas, launched about 4200 missiles into Israeli population centers, and 3800 militants entered Israel by land, air, and sea. Their offensive killed nearly 1,200 Israelis and foreigners were killed, and they took about 245 people hostage.

The Israeli Defense Forces' response, Operation Iron Swords, eliminated 23 out of Hamas's 24 battalions. The operation has caused the death of over 40,000 Palestinians, including militants.

Hamas stated that their offensive was in response to the continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the expansion of unauthorized Israeli settlements, and the increase in Israeli settler violence.

Names

Different groups use different terms to refer to the war:

• Palestinian militant groups call it Operation al-Aqsa Flood (amaliyyat ṭūfān al-ʾAqṣā)
• Israeli authorities call its counteroffensive Operation Iron Swords (Mivtsá charavót barzél).
• Some news agencies and commentators have called the ongoing conflict the Third Intifada (following the First and Second Intifadas).
• Others have called it the Sukkot War, after the holiday celebrated the day the conflict started.

October 7, 2023

Main article: 7 October attacks

The war began with the October 7th attacks (sometimes called the October 7th massacre). A Hamas-led coalition invaded Israel and massacred around 800 civilians and 350 security personnel. They also took hostages: around 250 people.

Many of these hostages were taken from a rave party. Some foreigners were also captured. Some have nationality from more than one country.

This attack was:

• The largest massacre ever against Jews in Israel
• The largest massacre of jews since the The Holocaust
• The largest terror attack by casualties per capita (it had more deaths per person than any other attack)

Israeli invasion of Gaza

Preparations

On 11 October 2023, the Israel Electric Corporation (owned by the Israeli government) stopped giving electrical power to the Gaza Strip's electrical grid. Israeli authorities also stopped the Gaza Strip from getting fuel. The Gaza Strip's only power station ran out of fuel.

On 27 October, the Israeli army began moving military supplies and soldiers into Gaza, including tanks, bulldozers, and combat engineers. At that point, according to the Times of Israel, most Israeli soldiers were still waiting on the Israeli side of the Gaza border and limiting their attacks to "overnight raids". The major invasion had not yet started.

Ground offensive

As of 28 October 2023, Israeli soldiers were in the Gaza Strip. At that point, they focused on the "on the northern area of the Gaza Strip, in Beit Hanoun, and push[ed] down a bit further south from there", according to a BBC report from the Israeli city of Sderot.

By this time, Israeli soldiers were engaged in a big ground offensive, and were also trying "to clear out tunnels, probably with special forces spotting targets for [...] air force attacks". (There are hundreds of kilometers of tunnels under Gaza, and militants are known to use them.)

On 29 October, the Israeli soldiers went into the Gaza Strip for the third day in a row.

On 30 October, a kidnapped Israeli soldier with the rank of Private was freed in an operation by IDF, with help from Shin Bet and Mossad.

Strike on Jabalia refugee camp

On 31 October 2023, a fighter jet fired rockets or missiles at Jabalia refugee camp. They hit the camp's al-Yafawiya neighbourhood in northern Gaza. Around 40 to 200 civilians were killed and around 150 others were injured. This was the beginning of the 2023 Jabalia refugee camp air strikes.

Israeli authorities defended the attack by claiming they had killed a Hamas commander named Ibrahim Biari in the attack (though Hamas denied this). They also claimed that dozens more Hamas militants died "when underground tunnels below the [refugee] camp collapsed".

November 1-15

On 1 November, the IDF announced that 9 soldiers of its Givati Brigade were killed when a anti-tank guided missile hit their armoured vehicle. This brought the total number of Israeli soldiers killed during the invasion to 15.

On 3 November, Israeli forces struck a convoy of ambulances, killing at least 15 people and injuring 60 more.

On 6 November, Israeli missile attacks targeted the Nasser Hospital in Gaza City, hitting the Al-Nasser Children's Hospital. Eight people were killed in the strike and dozens more were injured.

Later that day, Israeli forces released footage of its advancement in Gaza, and several rocket launching sites were discovered. Abu Obaida, the spokesperson of Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that the group had destroyed 27 Israeli tanks over the last 2 days.

The attacks continued over the next ten days.

November 16-22

On 16 November 2023, due to fuel shortages, internet and phone networks were shut down in the Gaza Strip (according to the area's two primary telecom providers, Jawwal and Paltel).

On 17 November, after the United States asked them to, Israel agreed to let 140,000 liters of fuel enter the Gaza Strip every two days. As a result, the internet and phone services in the area were restored.

On 18 November, Israel struck Jabalia refugee camp again, killing more than 80 people. At least 50 civilians who were sheltered in a UN-run school were killed in this attack.

Temporary ceasefire

On November 22, 2023, Israel and Hamas reached a temporary ceasefire agreement, providing for a four-day ceasefire in exchange of release of prisoners. The deal was to end in 4 days (till 27 November), but it continued till 30 November after negotiations by Qatar. As part of the deal, Hamas released 105 of its hostages while Israel released 240 Palestinians.

Fate of the hostages

As of 27 January 2025, one hundred and twenty-four hostages have been returned alive to Israel. Seven of those were (freed or) released in a 2025 prisoner exchange deal. 105 (of the 124) were (let go or) released, as part of a 2023 prisoner exchange deal. Four (of the 124) were released by Hamas. Eight were (freed or) rescued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

62 hostages were still alive as of December 2024, according to media; However, media said (January 2025) that the family of two of the victims, has been told by the government that those two are dead.

Earlier (and during the prisoner exchange deal from 24 to 30 November 2023), 105 were released.

Hostages

• Israeli hostages, 13 hostages came back to Israel on 26 November 2023; Earlier, 13 hostages were released (24 November).

• from Thailand, 4 came back (from Gaza) to Israel on 26 November; Earlier, 10 were set free (24 November); Thai authorities think that 18 are still kidnapped (as of November 2023). In 2025, five Thai hostages were released.

• from Nepal, 17 people were captured (by Hamas) during the conflict
• from Ukraine, 9 people
• from Germany, [7 or] 8 people are confirmed to be hostages [as of the end of October] but the total is likely [9 or] 10 more, according to German authorities; Israeli-German Shani Louk was found dead in October; The majority of her body, was found in May 2024.
• from Austria, 2 people
• from Philippines, 1 hostage was set free [25 November]. Earlier that month, 2 people were hostages.
• from Mexico, 2 people
• from France, 1 person
• from Chile, 1 person
• from Denmark, 1 person

The bodies of two Israeli hostages were found in buildings near the Al-Shifa Hospital; One was a 65-year old civilian, the other was a 19-year old soldier, according to Israeli authorities. The IDF said earlier (13 October) that Israeli remains and personal items were found on the Gaza Strip, when the 2023 Israeli ground operations took place.

Of these, 4 hostages have been released [as of the middle of November], and a captured Israeli soldier was rescued by Israeli forces.

Of the 4 hostages that have been released (as of October 25, 2023), two are Israelis and 2 are Americans.

Injured people, refugees, and missing people

Medics transport an injured Palestinian child into Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City following an Israeli airstrike on 11 October 2023.

• Gaza Strip: 75,750+ injured

• Israel: 10,500+ injured

Refugees

1,900,000 Palestinians displaced in Gaza
500,000+ Israelis displaced

Missing

Israel (As per IDF): Around 100 are missing.

Palestine (As per Palestinian Health Ministry): Around 8,000+ palestinians are missing.

Deaths

Israeli and Palestinian deaths

Palestine

On 11 October 2023, Israeli forces claimed they had killed about 1,000 of the Palestinian invaders. As the war continued, so did its casualties.

Over 33,091 people have been killed in Gaza, most of whom were civilians (according to the Palestinian Health Ministry). Doctors Without Borders said that Israel attacked the Indonesian Hospital in the Gaza Strip, killing one nurse and one ambulance driver while injuring several others.

The family home of the father of Mohammed Deif, the Chief of Staff of the Qassam Brigades, was hit by an airstrike in Khan Younis; his father, brother and at least two other relatives were killed in the attack.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 90 Palestinian journalists were killed by the Israeli airstrikes as of 15 April 2024. Another reports says that at least 132 Palestinian journalists were killed as of 16 February 2024.

Israeli

Palestinian militants killed about 1,139 people in Israel: 822 Israeli civilians, 604 Israeli soldiers, 61+ police officers, 10 Shin Bet members, and 166 foreigners and dual-nationals.

In Ashkelon, at least 68 died. Dozens of bodies were reportedly discovered at a place, in Re'im, where there had been a party.

Jayar Davidov, the chief of the Rahat police, was killed. So was the commander of the Nahal Brigade, Colonel Yonatan Steinberg, near Kerem Shalom.

On 17 October, during the Battle of Re'im, there was fighting at an Israeli military base. Colonel Roi Levy was killed in the battle.

On 4 November 2023, Abu Obaida said that at least 60 Israeli captives/POWs were killed by the Israeli airstrikes, but this had not been independently verified.

Israeli forces stated that they killed 3 Israeli hostages by mistake in Gaza Strip, which led to protests in israel.

Lebanon

Deaths in Lebanon included:

• 270 Hezbollah fighters
• 12 Amal Movement fighters
• At least 2 Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters
• 72+ civilians

Foreign and dual-national victims

Around 100 foreigners were killed. Some of them were dual nationals: they had nationality from more than one country. They were from 23 countries, according to the Washington Post on 11 October. Victims included:

• 10 Nepalis killed by Hamas,
• 1 Indonesian medic killed by Israel,
• 16 Syrians killed by IDF
• 11 Americans killed by Hamas or Israel
• 3 Israeli hostages in Gaza killed by the IDF

War crimes

On 10 October 2023, a UN Commission to the Israel-Palestine conflict said:

[There is] clear evidence that war crimes may have been [done] in the latest [...] violence in Israel and Gaza..

B'Tselem, a human rights organization from Israel, said that both sides had committed war crimes:

• Hamas killed civilians and took hostages
• The Israeli government bombed civilians and used white phosphorous bombs
• Israel closed border crossings
• Israel cut water supplies to Gaza through water mains: large pipes that tap water runs through
• Israel cut electricity supplies to Gaza (they stopped letting fuel into Gaza that was needed to make electrical power at Gaza's power station)

Human Rights Watch also said that both Hamas and Israel had committed war crimes. On 29 December 2023, South Africa accused Israel of risking a genocide in Gaza and filed a lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Famine

On 27 March 2024, the government of Ireland announced that it would join South Africa's lawsuit against Israel. The government said: "restricting food and other essentials in Gaza may constitute genocidal intent".

On 28 March, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) stated: "Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine ... but that famine is setting in." The Court ordered Israel to unblock food aid and to ensure that the people of Gaza received basic aid and assistance without delays or complications. All 16 judges backed the order, which said:

The State of Israel shall ... Take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay, in full co-operation with the United Nations, the unhindered provision ... of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance, including food, water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation requirements, as well as medical supplies and medical care to Palestinians throughout Gaza, including by increasing the capacity and number of land crossing points and maintaining them open for as long as necessary.

Attacks on aid deliveries and aid workers

On 1 April 2024, seven aid workers of from the World Central Kitchen were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. According to Jamie McGoldrick, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Palestine, this attack on WCK was not an "isolated incident". In the past six months in Gaza, nearly three times as many aid workers had been killed as in any other single conflict over a whole year. Due to this continuing threat, the aid groups had to stop their work.

International response

Some countries, mostly the Western world, have criticised the attacks in Israel. Other countries have criticized Israel's attacks on Gaza; these countries include Russia, China, Venezuela, and most of the Arab world and Islamic world. The foreign ministry of Jordan said that "If the war continued, it may get a popular impression that it's a war between western and Arab Islamic world."

On 18 October 2023, the United Nations Security Council considered a resolution about a "humanitarian pause" to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza. It was not approved. The resolution, which Brazil had proposed, was vetoed by the United States.

On 27 October, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution ES-10/21 calling for an "immediate and sustained" humanitarian ceasefire and stopping of fighting.

On 13 November 2023, United Nations observed a moment of silence with half-staff flags to mourn and honour 101 staff of UNRWA who were killed in Gaza.

Later, on 5 August 2024, nine people at UNRWA lost their jobs. A fact-finding mission suggested that they might have been involved in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

United States

U.S. authorities expressed concern that the conflict could spread to other countries in the region. For example, they thought that Iran-backed forces in Syria and Lebanon might join the fight against Israel. U.S. authorities also opposed Hamas's taking of U.S. citizens as hostages.

On a phone call on 8 October 2023, United States President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he had "deep sympathy" for the killed, missing, and wounded in Israel. He promised Israel his "full support".

That month, United States authorities sent two aircraft carriers to the area to support Israel, along with combat airplanes and escorting warships. On 5 November, an Ohio-class nuclear submarine deployed to the Middle East, according to United States authorities. The U.S. has also sent munitions to Israel.

On 25 March 2024, the U.S. government finally let a United Nations Security Council resolution pass that called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

On 29 March, the Washington Post reported that the U.S. government approved the transfer of "billions of dollars worth of bombs and fighter jets", including "more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs".

On 4 April 2024, after the airstrike on the WCK aid workers, Biden called Netanyahu. According to a BBC news article:

[Biden] made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers.

On 5 April 2024, 40 members of Congress from the Democratic party (including Nancy Pelosi) urged Joe Biden in an open letter to stop the arms shipments:

We strongly urge you to reconsider your recent decision to authorize the transfer of a new arms package to Israel, and to withhold this and any future offensive arms transfers until a full investigation into the airstrike is completed.

Response (or reactions)

Response to the Israeli attacks against Gaza

Pro-Palestine rally in Toronto, Canada

The leaders of some countries have tried to find words to give criticism to parts of Israel's attack (or retaliation) against Gaza.

The Foreign ministry of United Arab Emirates (UAE) called for an immediate ceasefire.

Norway's prime minister said that Israel has a right to defend itself; He added that "we must give emphasis [or say that it is important] that the Israelis show consideration towards civilians" [in Gaza].

Malaysian Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim called for a ceasefire and for Palestinians to be "treated as human beings". On 20 December 2023, Malaysian PM announced a block on Israeli-linked ships with immediate effect. Ships that are on their way to israel will also be not allowed to stop at any Malaysian ports.

Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to take action to hold Israel responsible for crimes that it is committing against Palestinians.

During the start this war, The French embassy in Israel condemned the attacks and described Hamas' actions as "inadmissible terrorist attacks". While on 10 November, French President, Emmanuel Macron called for a ceasefire and urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza and killing civilians.

On 16 April 2024, UNICEF Communication specialist Tess Ingram stated that "In every 10 minutes, a child is getting killed or injured in Gaza Strip and the only way to stop it is by ceasefire."

Response (non-military) in Israel

The sign is saying, "Together we Win". It shows support of Israel. Raanana, October 2023

Haaretz, a newspaper, printed an editorial which said that the attack was the "clear responsibility of one person: Benjamin Netanyahu". The newspaper said that the prime minister [did not see and tell about the dangers that he was leading Israel into, or he] has "completely failed to identify the dangers he was consciously leading Israel into when establishing a government of annexation and dispossession" (or taking away someone's possessions).

Related pages

• List of military operations during 2024
• List of ongoing armed conflicts
• Re'im music festival massacre
• October 2023 Tulkarm raid
• Blockade of the Gaza Strip (2023)
• Gaza humanitarian crisis (2023–present)
• South Africa's genocide case against Israel
• Flour massacre
• First Intifada
• Second Intifada