Hamas claimed their offensive was a 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.
Palestinian militants launched 4,200 missiles into Israeli population centers during the morning of 7 October. Additionally, 3,800 militants entered by land, air, and sea. Nearly 1,200 Israelis and foreigners were killed, and about 245 were taken as hostages.
Iron Swords
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) responded with an operation called Iron Swords (Mivtsá charavót barzél). It eliminated 23 out of Hamas's 24 battalions. It also has caused the death of over 40,000 Palestinians, including militants.
Names
Some news agencies and commentators have called the ongoing conflict theThird Intifada. (The First and Second Intifadas were rebellions against Israeli rule).
Others have called it the Sukkot War, after the festivity celebrated the day the conflict started.
At least 71,129 people have been killed in Gaza, mostly civilians.
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.
According to Committee to Protect Journalists, by 15 April 2024, at least 90 Palestinian journalists had been killed by Israeli airstrikes. Another source says the number of deaths was higher: at least 132 Palestinian journalists as of 16 February 2024.
In October 2023, Israeli forces claimed they killed about 1,000 of the Palestinian invaders.
Israel
Palestinian militants killed about 1,139 people in Israel during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. These victims included 822 Israeli civilians, 604 Israeli soldiers, at least 61 police officers, 10 Shin Bet members, and 166 people who were foreigners or dual-nationals.
The Battle of Re'im happened, and there was fighting at a military base there. Colonel Roi Levy was killed in the battle. On 4 November, Abu Obaida said that at least 60 Israeli captives/POWs were killed by the Israeli airstrikes, but there was no independent verification about it. Foreigners were killed. (See section below, "Foreign and dual-national victims".) Israeli forces stated that they killed 3 Israeli hostages by mistake in Gaza Strip, which led to protests in Israel.
Around 100 foreigners were killed. Some of these were dual nationals: they had nationality from more than one country. They are from [24 or] 23 countries, according to the Washington Post on 11 October. (Foreigners were also taken hostage and kidnapped. See section below, "Kidnappings".)
Foreigners and dual-national victims include:
46 Thais were killed during the first day of the Gaza War.
124 hostages have been returned alive to Israel (as of January 27, 2025). 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.
Around 130-150 IDF soldiers and civilians were taken as hostages. At least 200 Israelis were taken prisoner by Hamas and moved to the Gaza Strip. Most of the hostages were civilians. Many of those were taken from a rave party. Some foreigners were also captured. Some of those have nationality from more than one country.
Israeli hostages, 13 hostages came back to Israel on 26 November 2023; Earlier, 13 hostages were released (24 November).
from Thailand; 31 were taken hostage and three of those died. 4 came back (from Gaza) to Israel on 26 November 2023; 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 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.
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 25 October), 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.
Israeli invasion of Gaza (since October 27, 2023)
"The Israeli army began its ground invasion in Gaza on 27 October, moving tanks, bulldozers and combat engineers and other soldiers into the Gaza Strip. According to The Times of Israel, Most of the Israeli soldiers are still waiting on the Israeli side of the Gaza border, and are so far not putting in more effort than doing "overnight raids"; Furthermore, a major invasion has not started yet.
Israeli soldiers are in the Gaza Strip (as of 28 October), and they seem to be concentrating their efforts "on the northern area of the Gaza Strip, in Beit Hanoun, and pushing down a bit further south from there", according to a report (from the Israeli city Sderot) by BBC International editor, Jerusalem; Furthermore, the soldiers are part of a big raid or ground offensive. (Some other media, call it an invasion.) Furthermore, Israeli forces are likely trying "to clear out tunnels, probably with special forces spotting targets for [...] air force attacks". (Hundreds of kilometers of tunnels, are under Gaza; Militants are known to use those tunnels)
By 29 October, the Israeli soldiers had gone into the Gaza Strip, for the third day in a row.
On 30 October, A kidnapped Israeli soldier (rank, Private) was freed in an operation by IDF, and with help from Shin Bet and Mossad.
On 31 October, rockets (or missiles) were fired (from a fighter jet), at Jabalia refugee camp's al-Yafawiya neighborhood; It is in northern Gaza; Ibrahim Biari (a Hamas commander) was killed, according to Israeli authorities, a claim which Hamas denied. Dozens of Hamas militants "were also killed [...] when underground tunnels below the camp collapsed" after the rocket hits, according to a media report about what an Israeli authority said. Furthermore, around 40-200 civilians were killed and around 150 others were injured. The attack is part of the Jabalia refugee camp airstrikes.
On 1 November, IDF announced that 9 soldiers of its Givati Brigade were killed when a anti-tank guided missile hit the armoured vehicle they were in. The total number of Israeli soldiers who were killed during the invasion of Gaza, raised to 15.
On 3 November, Israeli forces struck a convoy of ambulance killing at least 15 people with 60 more injuries.
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, several rocket launching sites were discovered. Abu Obaida, spokesperson of Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that 27 israeli tanks have been destroyed by the group in last 2 days.
On 16 November, Due to shortage of Fuel, internet and phone networks were shut down in the Gaza Strip, according to the two primary telecom providers Jawwal and Paltel.
On 17 November, after the United States asked, Israel agreed to let 140,000 liters of fuel enter the Gaza Strip in every two days. As a result, the internet and phone services in the area were restored.
On 18 November, Israeli strikes killed more than 80 people in Jabalia refugee camp. At least 50 civilians who were sheltered in a UN-run school were killed in this attack.
On 22 November, 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. The deal let to 105 hostages getting released by Hamas while Israel released 240 palestinians.
War crimes
A UN Commission to the Israel-Palestine conflict said (10 October) that 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 Hamas' killing of civilians and taking of hostages, are war crimes. It accused the Israeli government of (doing or) committing war crimes against the people of Gaza, including the bombing of civilians, the use of white phosphorous bomb, the closing of border crossings, and the cutting of power and water supplies. (Water mains, or large pipes that tap water usually can run through, were stopped from having that water go from Israel to Gaza. Regarding giving electrical power to the electrical grid: fuel to make electrical power at Gaza's power station has been stopped from going from Israel to Gaza.)
On 27 March 2024, the government of Ireland announced that it will join the lawsuit of South Africa v. Israel and stated that "restricting food and other essentials in Gaza may constitute genocidal intent".
On 28 March, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) stated "that Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine ... but that famine is setting in," and ordered Israel to unblock food aid. All 16 judges backed the order that Israel must ensure without delay unhindered supply on a large scale:
"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 at scale by all concerned 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. As per the Humanitarian Coordinator for Palestine, Jamie McGoldrick, the attack on WCK was not an "isolated incident", the recorderd number of killed aid workers in the last six months in Gaza was nearly three times as high as in any other single conflict in a year. Due to this continuing threat the aid groups had to stop their work.
Israel Electric Corporation (owned by the Israeli government) stopped giving electrical power to the electrical grid of the Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities also stopped the Gaza Strip from getting fuel. The Gaza Strip's only power station ran out of fuel.
International response
Some countries, mostly the western world, have given criticism against the attacks in Israel. While countries, which includes Russia, China and Venezuela and most of the Arab world and Islamic world, have given criticism against the attacks on Gaza. 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."
US authorities think that there is a chance that the conflict could spread to other countries in the region. U.S. authorities are against the taking of U.S. citizens as hostages by Hamas. U.S. officials think that there is a chance that Iran-backed forces in Syria and Lebanon may open additional fronts against Israel. US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a phone call (8 October) and Biden said he has "deep sympathy" for the killed, missing, and wounded in Israel and (promised or) pledged his "full support" to Israel.
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[en] and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs".
After the airstrike on the aid workers from World Central Kitchen, Biden called the prime minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu on 4 April 2024, and "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."
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.
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).
↑From May 2024. Popular Forces have been described as a Salafi Jihadist organization with alleged ties to the Islamic State. Several senior leaders in the Popular Forces also allied with the Islamic State in the Sinai.
↑Fired by Netanyahu as defense minister on 5 November 2024
↑The combined forces of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad add up to 37,000.Template:Fv[needs update] Estimates for Hamas alone are highly variable, from 20,000 to 40,000.
↑Including 169,500 active personnel and 360,000 reservists
↑As of October 2025. Per the Gaza Health Ministry the number of those recorded killed is 69,182. The number of killed identified is 60,199.
Israeli estimates of 38,000+ Palestinians killed, including more than 22,000 (later marked down to 8,000) militants and probably almost 16,000 civilians (as of May 2024) are widely criticised as inaccurate, and no evidence has been presented for the claims of militants having been killed. Internal Israeli data suggests 83% of those killed were civilians.
↑In addition to direct deaths, armed conflicts result in indirect deaths "attributable to the conflict". Mortality due to indirect deaths could be due to a variety of causes, such as infectious diseases. Indirect deaths range from three to fifteen times the number of direct deaths in recent conflicts.
↑Total is derived from taking the current number of killed in Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Iran, Qatar, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and the militants killed inside Israel.
33 in the West Bank and Israel by 8 September 2025 (per OCHA oPt), not including 2 mistakenly killed by Israeli forces (1 in Jerusalem and 1 in the West Bank), 4 killed by militants (2 near Ofra, 1 in Tel Aviv, 1 near Yokneam Illit), 4 killed in non-militant attacks (1 in Hadera, 1 in Tel Aviv, 1 in Herzliya, 1 in Haifa), bringing the total to 43 conflict-related deaths to date
10 Shin Bet personnel (not including those who were also IDF soldiers)
The higher figure for IDF soldier deaths includes soldiers who died since the start of the war, but not necessarily as a result of it, while the lower figure includes only those listed by the IDF as killed in the war. Both figures include deaths in areas other than the Gaza Strip, including Israel proper, the West Bank, Golan and Lebanon.
↑As of 22 January 2024. Including 6,376 soldiers (as of 11 November 2025).
↑"How Israel is using 'Lavender' and 'Daddy' to identify 37,000 Hamas operatives". The Economic Times. 9 April 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024. The "Lavender" system is designed to identify individuals suspected of being part of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), even targeting those with lower ranks for potential aerial bombardments. In the initial stages of the conflict, the military heavily relied on Lavender, leading to the system labeling up to 37,000 Palestinians as militants, along with their residences, for potential airstrikes.
12Jamaluddine, Zeina; Abukmail, Hanan; Aly, Sarah; Campbell, Oona M. R.; Checchi, Francesco (9 January 2025). "Traumatic injury mortality in the Gaza Strip from Oct 7, 2023, to June 30, 2024: a capture–recapture analysis". The Lancet. 405 (10477). Elsevier: 469–477. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02678-3. PMID39799952.
↑"IDF denies report claiming that its own database found that vast majority of Gaza dead were civilians". The Times of Israel. 21 August 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025. In January, the military said 20,000 terror operatives had been killed, and yesterday it updated that number to over 22,000. In May, IDF officials said that the combatant-to-civilian deaths ratio has remained relatively the same throughout the war, with two to three civilians killed for every dead Hamas terror operative.
Morris, Loveday; Rubin, Shira; Balousha, Hazem (2024-05-15). "As Hamas returns to the north, Israel's Gaza endgame is nowhere in sight". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2024-09-25. Retrieved 2025-01-25. Netanyahu said last week that Israel has killed 14,000 Hamas militants; the IDF put its estimate at 13,000 last month. The numbers are not possible to independently verify — and no evidence has been offered to support them — but even the high-end figure would amount to less than half of Hamas's estimated fighting force before the war. Thousands of other militants belong to smaller groups that vie with Hamas for local influence.
↑Geneva Declaration Secretariat (2008). Global Burden of Armed Violence(PDF) (Report). Geneva Declaration Secretariat. p.4. The ratio of people killed in war to those dying indirectly because of a conflict is explored in the chapter on indirect deaths (INDIRECT CONFLICT DEATHS). Studies show that between three and 15 times as many people die indirectly for every person who dies violently.
Khatib, Rasha; McKee, Martin; Yusuf, Salim (2024). "Counting the dead in Gaza: difficult but essential". The Lancet. 404 (10449). Elsevier BV: 237–238. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(24)01169-3. ISSN0140-6736. PMID38976995. In recent conflicts, such indirect deaths range from three to 15 times the number of direct deaths. Applying a conservative estimate of four indirect deaths per one direct death to the 37,396 deaths reported, it is not implausible to estimate that up to 186,000 or even more deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza. Using the 2022 Gaza Strip population estimate of 2,375,259, this would translate to 7.9% of the total population in the Gaza Strip.
For overview about death numbers, see: Bloxham, Donald (2025). "The 7 October Atrocities and the Annihilation of Gaza: Causes and Responsibilities". Journal of Genocide Research. 28 (2): 23–24. doi:10.1080/14623528.2025.2483546. A study of traumatic injury deaths in Gaza in The Lancet using multiple data sources and capture-recapture analysis suggested that the MoH's methods, far from producing an exaggerated number, actually under-estimated the death toll by around 41 percent. ... When considering the total 'excess mortality,' we need to add the Palestinians who have died because of the blockade in combination with the IDF's destruction of health and sanitation and food infrastructure. As public health experts noted, in many wars, 'most deaths' are 'due to the indirect [sic] impacts of war: malnutrition, communicable disease, exacerbations of noncommunicable disease, [and] maternal and infant disorders.' 'Indirect' would be the wrong word for this conflict given the nature of Israeli policies, including the systematic obstruction of supplies into Gaza.
↑"Death toll rises in Israel's war on Lebanon". Al Jazeera. 4 December 2024. Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed 4,047 people and wounded 16,638 others, Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad said in a televised address.
↑Margalit, Ruth (7 October 2023). "Waking to an Attack from Hamas". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023. In Israel, there is already talk about this being the beginning of a protracted 'Sukkot War.'
↑"Israel/Palestine: Devastating Civilian Toll as Parties Flout Legal Obligations". Human Rights Watch. 9 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023. Palestinian armed group's apparent deliberate targeting of civilians, indiscriminate attacks, and taking of civilians as hostages amount to war crimes under international humanitarian law. Israeli authorities' cutting off electricity to Gaza and other punitive measures against Gaza's civilian population would amount to unlawful collective punishment, which is a war crime. The laws of war apply to all parties to a conflict, irrespective of the lawfulness of their going to war or imbalances of power between the parties.
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