Israel–Hamas war

2023 Israel–Hamas war
Part of the Arab–Israeli conflict
Gaza Strip   Israeli territory with Palestinian militants' presence   Evacuated areas   Maximum extent of Palestinian advance See here for a more comprehensive map.
Date 7 October 2023 – present (8 months and 4 days) Location Israel, Palestine, southern Lebanon and Syria Status Ongoing Palestinian militants break through the Gaza–Israel barrier and invade Israel's Southern District Israeli military carries out airstrikes in the Gaza Strip Israeli Defense Forces report they have retaken and fully control all communities around the Gaza Strip on 9 October Israel imposes a total blockade on Gaza
Belligerents
Gaza Strip Hamas Palestinian Islamic Jihad Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine West Bank File:Lion's Den Emblem.png Lions' Den Southern Lebanon Hezbollah	Israel
Commanders and leaders
Ismail Haniyeh Yahya Sinwar Mohammed Deif Abu Obaida Ziyad al-Nakhalah Nayef Hawatmeh Hassan Nasrallah	Benjamin Netanyahu Yoav Gallant Herzi Halevi Kobi Shabtai Ronen Bar
Units involved
Al-Qassam Brigades Al-Quds Brigades Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades National Resistance Brigades	Israel Defense Forces Israel Police Shin Bet
Casualties and losses
Per Palestine: 925 killed 4,690 wounded 200,000 displaced Per Israel: 1,500 militants killed in Israel	Per Israel: 1,200+ killed 3,400 wounded 200+ abducted

On 7 October 2023, Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas launched a large-scale invasion against Israel from the Gaza Strip. Hamas called it Operation al-Aqsa Flood. The corresponding Israeli counteroffensive was named Operation Iron Swords by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The crisis represented a tipping point in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the Gaza–Israel conflict, which followed a violent year that saw increased expansion of Israeli settlements and Israeli settler violence against Palestinian civilians, clashes in Jenin, the Al-Aqsa mosque, and Gaza killed almost 250 Palestinians and 32 Israelis; Hamas cited these events as justification for the offensive, and called on Palestinians outside of Gaza to join "the fight against the occupiers". In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared states of emergency and war, and some opposition parties have called for the formation of a national unity government.

Hostilities were initiated in the early morning with a rocket barrage of at least 3,000 missiles against Israel and vehicle-transported incursions into its territory. Palestinian militants also broke through the Gaza–Israel barrier and forced their way through Gaza border crossings, entering and attacking nearby Israeli communities and military installations, killing at least 1,200 Israelis in the process, according to Israel. Numerous cases of violence against Israeli civilians have occurred since the beginning of the conflict, including a massacre at a music festival that killed at least 260. Israeli soldiers and civilians, including children, had been taken hostage by Palestinian militants to the Gaza Strip.

After calling reservists and working on clearing militants from affected areas, Israel retaliated using airstrikes in the densely-populated Gaza Strip targeting strategic buildings and military targets, with 20 reported cases of shelling of civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, mosques, and hospitals. According to the Hamas government in Gaza, within the first three days at least 900 Palestinians were killed in gunfights and by airstrikes, including civilians, and 260 children; the IDF stated it killed "more than 1,500 terrorists" inside Israel. The United Nations reported that more than 200,000 Palestinians, a tenth of the population of Gaza, have been displaced since the start of hostilities. Fears of a humanitarian crisis were heightened after Israel had cut off food, water, electricity, and fuel supplies to the already blockaded strip.

Numerous countries of the Western world and its allies condemned Hamas for the violence, and described the tactics used by the organization as terrorism; while the Palestinian Authority cited the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the denial of Palestinian self-determination as the root cause of the escalation, and others demanded de-escalation. Amnesty International condemned both Hamas' and Israel's conduct as war crimes. The United States government announced it is supporting Israel by moving an aircraft carrier, its battle group and military jets to the eastern Mediterranean and providing Israel with additional military equipment and ammunition. A conflict was reported between Hezbollah and Al-Quds Brigades forces in Lebanon and Israeli forces on 8 and 9 October.

Names

The Palestinian militant groups dubbed their assault Operation al-Aqsa Flood (or Deluge) (Arabic: عملية طوفان الأقصى, romanized: ʿamaliyyat ṭūfān al-ʾAqṣā), whilst Israel named its counteroffensive Operation Iron Swords (Hebrew: מבצע חרבות ברזל, romanized: Mivtsá charavót barzél). Several news agencies and observers have described the ongoing conflict as the Third Intifada, following the prior Palestinian uprisings of the First and Second Intifadas. Others have referred to it as the Sukkot War, after the festivity celebrated the day the attack started. Many analysts and officials have described the initial assault as "Israel's 9/11 moment".

Background

See also: Gaza–Israel conflict, July 2023 Jenin incursion, and 2023 Al-Aqsa clashes

The Gaza Strip and Israel have been in conflict since the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005 and Hamas gaining control of the Gaza Strip after elections in 2006 and a civil war with Fatah in 2007. The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since 2007, leading Human Rights Watch to call the strip an "open-air prison". Furthermore, Gaza is closed off from the rest of the world, and access to resources including food, water, and electricity is almost entirely controlled by Israel. The blockade has caused significant economic hardship within Gaza, and was cited by Hamas as one of the reasons for its offensive.

In 2023, there were several violent flare-ups in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Prior to the attack, including combatants and civilians on both sides, at least 247 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces, while 32 Israelis and two foreign nationals had been killed in Palestinian attacks. 2023 also witnessed the rise of Israel's far-right government, which has ramped up settlement construction in the Israeli-occupied West Bank; an increase in Israeli settler attacks there, which has displaced hundreds of Palestinians; and tensions flaring around a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site, the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The attack took place during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah on Shabbat, and a day after the 50th anniversary of the start of the Yom Kippur War, which also began with a surprise attack. In September, two to three weeks of violence occurred at the Israel–Gaza separation fence. On 29 September, Qatar, the UN, and Egypt mediated an agreement between Israel and Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip to reopen closed crossing points and de-escelate tensions.

Israel and Saudi Arabia are conducting negotiations to normalize relations, with Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman recently stating that normalization was "for the first time, real". Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had "repeatedly warned that Israel's ongoing occupation of Gaza would propel further violence."

Timeline

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of the October 2023 Gaza–Israel conflict.

For a more comprehensive list, see List of military engagements during the October 2023 Gaza–Israel conflict.

Palestinian offensive

Rocket barrages

See also: Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel

Aftermath of a rocket attack in Rishon LeZion

At around 6:30 a.m. Israel Summer Time (UTC+3) on 7 October 2023, Hamas announced the start of what it called "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood", stating that it had fired over 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel within a span of 20 minutes. Israeli sources reported that at least 3,000 projectiles had been launched from Gaza. At least five people were killed by the rocket attacks. Explosions were reported in areas surrounding the Strip and in cities in the Sharon Plain including Gedera, Herzliyya, Tel Aviv, and Ashkelon. Air raid sirens were also activated in Beer Sheva, Jerusalem, Rehovot, Rishon Lezion, and Palmachim Airbase. Hamas issued a call to arms, with senior military commander Mohammad Deif calling on "Muslims everywhere to launch an attack". Palestinian militants also opened fire on Israeli boats off the Gaza Strip, while clashes broke out between Palestinians and the Israel Defense Forces in the eastern section of the Gaza perimeter fence. In the evening Hamas launched another barrage of about 150 rockets towards Israel, with explosions being reported in Yavne, Givatayim, Bat Yam, Beit Dagan, Tel Aviv, and Rishon Lezion. It was followed by another rocket barrage on the morning of 8 October, with one rocket hitting the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. Hamas also fired 100 rockets at Sderot. On 9 October, Hamas fired another barrage in the direction of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with one rocket landing near a terminal of Ben-Gurion Airport.

Militant incursions into Israel

Further information: Stand-off in Be'eri and Ofakim, Battle of Re'im, Battle of Sderot, Re'im music festival massacre, Netiv HaAsara attack, Be'eri massacre, and Kfar Aza massacre

Approximate situation on 7–8 October

Simultaneously, around 1,000 Palestinian militants infiltrated Israel from Gaza using trucks, pickup trucks, motorcycles, bulldozers, speedboats and paragliders. Images and videos appeared to show heavily armed and masked militants dressed in black fatigue riding pickup trucks and opening fire in Sderot, killing dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers. Other videos appeared to show Israelis taken prisoner and a burning Israeli tank, as well as militants driving Israeli military vehicles. On that morning, a massacre unfolded at an outdoor music festival near Re'im, resulting in hundreds dead, with many still missing and in hiding. Witnesses recounted militants on motorcycles opening fire on fleeing participants, who were already dispersing due to rocket fire that had wounded some attendees; some were also taken hostage. some sources claimed incidents of women getting raped and then killed, however, a Los Angeles Times article which formerly recycled such claims retracted it from its article saying "An earlier version of this column mentioned rape in the attacks, but such reports have not been substantiated". Infiltrators were also spotted at Nir Oz, Be'eri, and Netiv HaAsara, where they reportedly took hostages and set fire to homes, as well as in kibbutzim around the Gaza Strip. 200 civilians were slaughtered in the Kfar Aza kibbutz, and according to some Israeli sources at least 40 babies, some of whom were beheaded. However, the Israeli army later stated that they could not confirm these allegations. 15 people were killed in the Netiv HaAsara attack. Hostages were also reported to have been taken in Ofakim, while homes in Sderot were set on fire. Hamas said it took prisoners to force Israel to release its Palestinian prisoners, claiming it had taken enough prisoners to secure the release of all Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas militants carried out an amphibious landing in Zikim. Palestinian sources claim that the local Israeli army base was stormed. The IDF said it had killed two attackers on the beach and destroyed four vessels, including two rubber boats. A military base outside Nahal Oz was also taken by the militants, leaving at least two Israeli soldiers dead and at least six others captured. Fighting was reported at Re'im military base, headquarters of the Gaza Division. It was later reported that Hamas took control of the base and had taken several Israeli soldiers captive before the IDF regained control later in the day. The police station of Sderot was reported to have come under Hamas control, with militants killing 30 Israelis, including policemen and civilians. Following the arrival of IDF reinforcements, soldiers surrounded the police station and regained control over it, killing at least ten Hamas militants.

Several Palestinian groups voiced their support for the operation. The National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of the secular-socialist Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) confirmed their participation in the operation through their military spokesman Abu Khaled. On 7 October they claimed to have lost three fighters in combat with the IDF, and said on 8 October that they were engaged with Israeli forces in Kfar Aza, Be'eri, and Kissufim. The PFLP, another Palestinian socialist militant group, and the Lions' Den group voiced their support for the operation and declared maximum alertness and general mobilization amongst their troops, and the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades (armed wing of the PFLP) published videos of it storming Israeli watchtowers.

An Israeli military spokesman stated that the militants from Gaza had entered Israel through at least seven locations and invaded four small rural Israeli communities, the border city of Sderot, and two military bases from both land and sea. Israeli media reported that seven communities came under Hamas control, including Nahal Oz, Kfar Aza, Magen, Be'eri, and Sufa. The Erez crossing was reported to have come under Hamas control, enabling the militants to enter Israel from Gaza. Israeli Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said that there were 21 active high-confrontation locations in southern Israel.

Israeli response

7 October

The attack, which coincided with the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, appeared to have been a complete surprise to the Israelis. The day was regarded as the deadliest for Jewish civilians since the end of the Holocaust.

The Iron Dome air defense system was activated. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant conducted security assessments at Israel Defense Forces (IDF) headquarters in Tel Aviv. Gallant later approved the mobilisation of tens of thousands of army reservists and declared a state of emergency for areas within 80 kilometres (50 mi) of the Gaza border. He also said that Hamas "made a grave mistake" in launching its attack and pledged that "Israel will win". The IDF declared a "state of readiness for war". It also said that the reservists were to be deployed not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank and along the borders with Lebanon and Syria. Residents in areas around the Gaza Strip were asked to stay inside, while civilians in southern and central Israel were "required to stay next to shelters". Roads around the Gaza Strip were closed by the IDF. The streets of Tel Aviv were also locked down.

Following the assault, Israel declared a heightened state of preparedness for potential conflict. The IDF declared a state of readiness for war, and Netanyahu convened an emergency gathering of security authorities. The IDF additionally reported their initiation of targeted actions in the Gaza Strip under what it called "Operation Iron Swords". Israeli Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai announced that a "state of war" existed, following what he called "a massive attack from the Gaza Strip". He also announced the closure of the entire southern region of Israel to "civilian movement" as well as the deployment of the Yamam counterterrorism unit to the area. The IDF's chief spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said four divisions were deployed to the area, augmenting 31 preexisting battalions.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the country was facing "a very difficult moment", and offered strength and encouragement to the IDF, other security forces, rescue services, and residents who were under attack. In a televised broadcast, Netanyahu stated: "We are at war." He also said that the IDF would reinforce its border deployments to deter others from 'making the mistake of joining this war'. In a later address, he threatened to "turn Gaza into a deserted island", and urged its residents to "leave now."

Airports in southern and central Israel were closed to commercial and private use, while Ben Gurion Airport and Ramon Airport remained operational. Multiple airlines cancelled flights to and from Israel; others also offered compensation or waivers for flights that had already been booked to Israel. Israel Railways suspended service throughout portions the country and replaced some routes with temporary bus routes, while cruise ships removed ports like Ashdod and Haifa from their itineraries.

Overnight on 7–8 October, Israel's Security Cabinet voted to undertake a series of actions to bring about the "destruction of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad", according to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office. The Israel Electric Corporation, which supplies up to 80% of the Gaza Strip's electricity, cut off power to the area. As a result, Gaza's power supply was reduced from 120 MW to only 20 MW, forcing it to rely on power plants paid for by the Palestinian Authority.

Stand-off in Be'eri and Ofakim

Main articles: Stand-off in Be'eri and Ofakim and Be'eri massacre

In Be'eri, Hamas militants took up to 50 people hostage. During a stand-off between militants and IDF forces, videos emerged from Be'eri showing the hostages being led by Hamas militants barefoot across a street in town. Approximately 18 hours after the stand-off began, the IDF announced that they had freed the hostages in Be'eri. In the town of 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.

Airstrikes in the Gaza Strip

The IDF said it attacked targets in Gaza using fighter jets, reportedly hitting 17 Hamas military compounds and four operational command centres. Among the locations struck was the 11-story Palestine Tower in downtown Gaza City that housed Hamas radio stations on the rooftop. Israel also struck two hospitals, killing an ambulance driver and a nurse.

8 October

Overnight Israel struck up to 426 targets in the Gaza Strip. The town of Beit Hanoun was mostly leveled by airstrikes, and the Al-Amin Muhammad Mosque was destroyed. Targets also included various housing blocks, tunnels, homes of Hamas officials, and the Watan Tower, which served as a hub for internet providers in the area. One Israeli airstrike killed 19 members of the same family (including women and children); survivors of the airstrike said there were no militants in their area nor were they warned.

Remains of the Sderot police station, following recapture by IDF.

The Security Cabinet formally placed the country under a state of war for the first time since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The IDF stated that two hostage situations had been "resolved". The IDF also said it had secured 22 locations from Palestinian forces but were still trying to clear eight other locations including Sderot and Kfar Aza. In one community, it rescued nearly 50 hostages. Several Palestinian gunmen riding in a stolen car were killed by Israeli forces near Ashkelon following a shootout on a main road. Israeli forces also retook Sderot police station, killing ten militants. At the same time, more Palestinian fighters were reported to have entered Magen, while 70 Palestinian reinforcements arrived at Be'eri.

Evacuations of residents living near the Gaza Strip were ordered, and Netanyahu appointed former brigadier general Gal Hirsch as the government's point man on missing and kidnapped citizens. The IDF said it had called in up to 300,000 reservists and said it was aiming to eliminate Hamas' military capabilities and overthrow its rule over the Gaza Strip.

9 October

Further information: October 2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, Jabalia camp market airstrike, and Al-Shati Camp airstrike

Approximate situation on 9 October

The IDF reportedly struck 500 targets in the Gaza Strip overnight, including the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp, causing "dozens" of casualties, including children. IDF stated it established full control over Israeli towns around the Gaza perimeter fence. Operations against militants continued in Sderot. Hamas said that it would execute Israeli hostages if Israel continued to bombard "civilian homes without advanced warning."

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced a "total" blockade of the Gaza Strip that would cut electricity and block the entry of food and fuel, adding that "We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly." 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." The IDF said 15 communities around the Gaza Strip had been evacuated.

10 October

Israeli forces reclaimed Kfar Aza, and began collecting the dead, claiming they found babies killed and women decapitated in their houses. One estimate claimed at least 100 civilians had been killed there. News channel i24 was allowed to visit the site.

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi announced that any intervention in Gaza by the United States of America would result in a Houthi intervention.

In the afternoon of 10 October, US President Biden announced that "Hamas has set a goal of killing Jews".

Outside Israel and the Gaza Strip

See also: October 2023 Hezbollah strike and 2023 Alexandria shooting

Between 7 and 8 October, 11 Palestinian youths, including a 13-year-old, were killed in confrontations with Israeli forces throughout the occupied West Bank. On the morning of 8 October, Hezbollah fired rockets and shells at the Shebaa Farms region; in response the IDF fired artillery shells and sent a military drone into southern Lebanon. Two Lebanese children were reportedly injured by broken glass. On the same day, an Egyptian policeman attacked Israeli tourists and their Egyptian guides in Alexandria, Egypt, killing two Israelis and one Egyptian, and wounding a third Israeli. The policeman was detained by the Egyptian police. Video footage confirmed that a small unit belonging to Palestinian militias had arrived at the Jewish settlement of Psagot near occupied East Jerusalem. According to the statement, the unit, made up of several fighters from Gaza, clashed with Israeli soldiers at the Qalandia checkpoint.

On 9 October, the IDF claimed to have killed several infiltrators from Lebanon and fired artillery across the border. Hezbollah denied involvement in the incident. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militia later claimed responsibility for the armed infiltration. Later in the day, fighting began again between Hezbollah and Israeli troops, resulting in three Hezbollah gunmen being killed.

Casualties

Casualties in Israel

Israeli UH-60 evacuating wounded personnel

At least 900 Israelis were killed (including 73 soldiers), over 2,500 wounded, and 130–150 IDF soldiers and civilians taken hostage. On October 7, over 100 civilians were killed in the Be'eri massacre, including women and children; and over 260 attendees were killed at a music festival in Re'im. As of October 10, over 100 people had been reported killed in the Kfar Aza massacre, with the total death toll unknown. Nine people were fatally shot at a bus shelter in Sderot. At least four people were reported killed in Kuseife. At least 400 casualties were reported in Ashkelon, while 280 others were reported in Beer Sheva, 60 of which were in a serious condition. In the north, injuries from rocket attacks reached Tel Aviv.

The head of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, Ofir Libstein, was killed in an exchange of fire with the militants. The police commander of Rahat, Jayar Davidov, was also killed. The IDF confirmed that 73 of its soldiers had been killed. Among their confirmed dead were Colonel Yonatan Steinberg, the commander of the Nahal Brigade, who was killed near Kerem Shalom; Colonel Roi Levy, commander of the Multidimensional "Ghost" unit, who was killed near Kibbutz Re'im; and Lieutenant Colonel Eli Ginsberg, commander of the LOTAR Counter-terrorism Unit School.

The attack on the music festival took place on 7 October, leaving bodies strewn across a large area. As of 8 October, over 260 bodies had been recovered from the site by rescue agency ZAKA. Other attendees were wounded or taken hostage. Among those killed was former Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. striker Lior Asulin.

At least 100 Israelis were taken prisoner by Hamas and transported to the Gaza Strip. On 8 October, Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed to be holding at least 30 captives. At least four people were reportedly taken from Kfar Aza. A photograph was released appearing to show Israeli major general Nimrod Aloni, the commander of the IDF Depth Corps, being held by Palestinians. Hamas also claimed to have captured him. A Persian language post by the IDF quoted a post about his capture from Tasnim News Agency and wrote "Tasnim: Distributors of fake news of IRGC" without either denying or confirming the capture of Aloni. Videos from Gaza appeared to show captured people, with Gazan residents cheering trucks carrying dead bodies. An MDA ambulance was also reportedly taken by the militants to Gaza. Four captives were later reported to have been killed in Be'eri, while Hamas claimed that an IDF airstrike on Gaza on 9 October killed four captives.

Casualties in Palestine

Following Israel's airstrikes in response, the Palestinian Ministry of Health led by the Hamas government in Gaza said that 413 Palestinians, including 78 children and 41 women, had been killed and about 2,000 others had been injured. Yousef Abu al-Rish, the top Palestinian health official in Gaza, stated that most casualties were from firefights inside Israel. Reporters for the Associated Press in the Gaza Strip saw funerals being held for 15 victims and eight other bodies in hospitals. Four Palestinians were killed and five others were wounded in clashes with the IDF along Gaza's perimeter fence. Five Palestinian militants were reported to have been killed in Sderot.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said a nurse and an ambulance driver were killed in Israeli strikes on two hospitals. Palestinian media reported that several casualties occurred after an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at an ambulance in front of the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. A paramedic was reported to be in critical condition. MSF stated a missile hit the Indonesian Hospital di Gaza in the Gaza Strip, killing one nurse, one ambulance driver and injuring several others. The Indonesian Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) confirmed that a local staff member was killed near an operational MER-C vehicle.

On 8 October, ten civilians were reportedly killed in a strike on a residential building in Shabora near Khan Younis. A Hamas leader named Ayman Younis was reported to have been killed after a shelling. On 9 October, 19 people, including the leader of a local armed group, were killed in an airstrike in Rafah. At least 50 people were reportedly killed in an airstrike on the Jabalia Camp.

As of October 9, The United Nations said that the fighting had displaced more than 123,000 Palestinians, and Israeli airstrikes had destroyed 159 housing units and severely damaged 1,210 others. UNRWA said a school sheltering more than 225 people was struck.

Foreign and dual-national casualties

Country	Deaths	Captured	Missing	Ref.
Australia	1	Unknown	Unknown
Thailand	18	11	Unknown
United States	14	Unknown	Unknown
Nepal	10	17	1
Argentina	7	Unknown	15
France	8	1	0
Paraguay	2	Unknown	2
China	0	Unknown	4
Ukraine	2	0	0
United Kingdom	2	Unknown	8
Canada	2	Unknown	3
Brazil	2	Unknown	1
Cambodia	1	0	0
Chile	1	0	0
Romania	1	0	0
Mexico	0	2	0
Portugal	1	0	1
Germany	1	Unknown	Unknown
Philippines	Unknown	Unknown	5–6
Russia	2	Unknown	4
Italy	Unknown	Unknown	2
Tanzania	Unknown	Unknown	2
Ireland	Unknown	Unknown	1
Sri Lanka	Unknown	Unknown	2
Peru	1	Unknown	3
Colombia	Unknown	Unknown	2
Unidentified	2	N/A	N/A

The Nepali ambassador to Israel, Kanta Rijal, said at least seven of its nationals in the country were injured in the attack, and that they along with ten others were held captive by Hamas at an agricultural farm in Alumim. The Nepalese embassy later confirmed that 10 Nepalese students were killed during the attack in the area of Kibbutz Alumim. Israeli media also reported that migrant workers from Thailand and the Philippines were also taken captive by Palestinian militants. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed that 18 of its nationals were killed during the Palestinian attack, while 8 others were injured and 11 were captured by the militants. The Philippine embassy also confirmed that two Filipinos were injured in the attacks, with authorities verifying reports of Filipinos being held captive by Hamas. Eight Filipinos were rescued by the IDF, while a foreign affairs undersecretary said that between five and six Filipinos were unaccounted for.

A German-Israeli national was reportedly killed while attending the Re'im music festival; a video of Palestinians parading her near-naked body in a car was circulated on the internet, and her credit card was reportedly used subsequently in Gaza. She was later said to be alive but in "critical condition" in a hospital in Gaza. Several other German citizens were reported to be among those kidnapped by militants. At least ten British citizens were reported as dead or missing, including one attendee of the music festival. Eight French nationals, two Ukrainians, a Cambodian student, and a Chilean woman were confirmed to have been killed by Hamas. At least 14 Americans were killed during the attacks, with reports of more missing and captives held in Gaza. Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Affairs reported that two Mexican nationals were presumed to have been taken hostage by Hamas. One Brazilian national was reported as injured and three were reported missing. An Indian caregiver was injured by a rocket barrage in Ashkelon. Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares said two Spaniards were attacked without specifying their condition. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that an Italian-Israeli couple went missing in Be'eri. Two Tanzanian students were reported by their embassy to be missing. The Russian Embassy stated that four Russian nationals went missing following the attack. Four Argentinians were reported to have been killed and three were reported missing. The Canadian government stated that a Canadian was killed, and that two other Canadians were missing. A Paraguayan couple was reported killed, with the government also reporting two nationals missing. An Irish attendee of the music festival was reported missing. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru confirmed that a Peruvian-Israeli soldier was killed in action on the front line, while 3 remained missing. A Colombian couple attending the music festival was reported missing after the attack.

Negotiations

On 9 October, Reuters reported that Qatar was mediating talks between Israel and Hamas to secure the release of female Israeli prisoners in exchange for Israel releasing 36 Palestinian women and children. Israel had not confirmed such negotiations were taking place, however.

Reactions

Reactions in Israel

Volunteers organizing deliveries for soldiers in Nesher

The protest group Kaplan Force announced the cancellation of its demonstration against the judicial reform planned for 7 October in Tel Aviv. The group expressed support for the IDF, stating that they were standing by "the IDF and the security forces carrying out their duties during this difficult time and hope for the restoration of calm and security". Forum 555 and Brothers in Arms, a protest group of reservist soldiers that organized boycotts of the military draft in protest against the judicial reform, called on reservists to serve if they were called up.

Magen David Adom appealed for blood donations and announced plans for a special blood donation drive in Tel Aviv on 7 October. Israel's Education Ministry announced the closure of all schools in the country on 7 October. This was later extended until 10 October. The Haifa International Film Festival was cancelled. Bruno Mars canceled his scheduled concert in Tel Aviv on 7 October due to the attacks and left Israel. On 8 October, UEFA cancelled all of its scheduled football matches in Israel for the coming two weeks, including a qualifier for the Euro 2024 tournament between Israel and Switzerland on 12 October.

An investigation was launched as to the failure of Israeli authorities to prevent the attack from occurring. Ofer Cassif, a member of the Knesset, told Al Jazeera that his left-wing Hadash party had repeatedly warned that the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories would lead to events like this, where innocent civilians on both sides pay the price. He called the Israeli government "fascist", and accused it of carrying out pogroms and acts of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian population. Haaretz, a major Israeli newspaper, published an editorial on 8 October which said that the attack was the "clear responsibility of one person: Benjamin Netanyahu." The paper described the prime minister as having "completely failed to identify the dangers he was consciously leading Israel into when establishing a government of annexation and dispossession". On 9 October, the paper published an article by Alon Pinkas saying Netanyahu should no longer be the prime minister. Pinkas wrote: "There is a clear and present danger that all his wartime decisions against Hamas will be polluted by personal, legal and petty political considerations. He has been a poor prime minister from Lebanon to China."

Proposed emergency unity government

Among opposition parties, Yesh Atid leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid, National Unity chairman Benny Gantz, Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman and Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli issued a joint statement expressing full backing for the IDF and unity with the government, saying: "In times like these, there is no opposition and coalition in Israel."

Netanyahu proposed that Yesh Atid and National Unity enter an emergency unity government with his Likud-led coalition, after Lapid urged Netanyahu put "aside our differences and form an emergency, narrow, professional government". Lapid said that Israel could not effectively manage the war with "the extreme and dysfunctional composition of the current cabinet" and called upon Netanyahu to eject the far-right Religious Zionist Party and Otzma Yehudit parties as a condition for Yesh Atid to join an emergency unity government.

The National Unity party met with Likud on 9 October to discuss a possible unity government, with National Unity likely to join such an arrangement.

Reactions in Palestine

The Palestinian Education Ministry said schools in the Gaza Strip were closed until further notice. The Palestinian Health Ministry appealed for blood donations.

At an emergency meeting with officials of the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that Palestinians had the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops". In the West Bank, celebrations occurred in Ramallah. Neighborhood watches were established in 50 locations amid fears of reprisals by Israeli settlers, while a general strike was called for 8 October. Seven Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces on 7 October, while 126 others were injured. Clashes on 8 October killed six more Palestinians.

Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera that its forces had taken enough Israeli hostages to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel in an exchange. Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaida said it was holding captured Israeli soldiers in "safe places" and tunnels. A spokesperson for Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that they do not consider Israeli citizens to be civilians: "We are not killing civilians. This is a military society. They are the ones who elect their governments."

The commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Mohammed Deif, said in a recorded message on the first day of the attack, that it was in response to "desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque", and Israel killing and wounding hundreds of Palestinians this year. He called on Palestinians and Arab Israelis to "expel the occupiers and demolish the walls". He also added that the operation was launched so "the enemy will understand that the time of their rampaging without accountability has ended." He continued:

In light of the continuing crimes against our people, in light of the orgy of occupation and its denial of international laws and resolutions, and in light of American and western support, we've decided to put an end to all this, so that the enemy understands that he can no longer revel without being held to account.

Hamas stated that it had abducted Israelis to secure the freedom of Palestinian prisoners. Prisoner exchanges have long been practiced in the Arab–Israeli conflict. In 2006, Hamas captured Gilad Shalit, forcing Israel to release 1,000 Palestinians, some of whom had been convicted by Israel of terrorism, as part of a prisoner swap. Since 1967, Israel is estimated to have arrested over 800,000 Palestinians; 40% of Palestinian males have been in an Israeli jail at some point in their life. As of 2023, there are an estimated 4,499–5,200 Palestinians in Israeli prisons, including 170 children. Some of these prisoners have been convicted in Israeli courts of terrorism. Israel has also detained 1,200 Palestinians without any charges or trial, also known as administrative detention. The length of detention for these detainees is a year on average. Israel keeps allegations against these prisoners secret, citing security reasons. The issue of prisoners is considered emotional for both Israelis and Palestinians and many prisoners seen as heroes by Palestinians are seen as terrorists by Israelis.

Iran

Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei did not claim responsiblity for the attacks but instead said that he was proud of the militants. He also posted a video from the war on X, resulting in criticism by Elon Musk. He warned Israel of future consequences. Three days prior, he warned Saudi Arabia not to "bet on the losing horse".

International

Main article: International reactions to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war

Pro-Palestinian protest in Istanbul, Turkey

Pro-Israeli protest in Berlin, Germany

Pro-Palestinian "Rally for a Free Palestine" posters at the University of Sydney

US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the ongoing situation in Israel, 7 October 2023

International leaders, including from Argentina, India, Taiwan, the United States, and most 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. Biden announced that "Hamas has set a goal of killing Jews". Austria, Germany, and Sweden suspended humanitarian aid to Palestine in response to Hamas' attack and said that they would review other projects and aid given. The European Union also announced it will review aid to Palestinian authorities, though not suspending them.

Some Arab League countries such as Oman, Yemen, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and non-Arab countries like Iran, Pakistan and North Korea expressed support for the Palestinians, blaming the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories for the escalation of violence. A number of other countries called for de-escalation and a ceasefire. Demonstrations took place in many Middle Eastern countries, such as Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Turkey, Bahrain, and Iran in solidarity with the Palestinian groups. Argentina, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, and Uruguay stated that they would increase security in Jewish-associated sites in response to the attack.

Numerous countries of the Muslim world cited the denial of Palestinian self-determination as the root cause of the escalation. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Turkey demanded de-escalation. Qatar and Malaysia cited the violent incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque by Zionist settlers as one of the major reasons that triggered the war, with Qatar urging countries across the world to stop IDF attacks.

Afghanistan declared its support of Palestinian military operations, describing it as the "defense and resistance of the people of Palestine". Hamas said Iran assisted with its attacks; the Iranian Foreign Ministry denied any direct role in the attacks, while praising the military operations as a "spontaneous movement" of Palestinian resistance against the aggression of "Zionist occupier regime".

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. Brazil announced a rescue operation of nationals using an air force transport aircraft. Poland announced that it would deploy two C-130 transport planes to evacuate 200 of its nationals from Ben-Gurion airport. Hungary evacuated 215 of its nationals from Israel using two aircraft on 9 October, while Romania evacuated 245 of its citizens, including two pilgrimage groups, on two TAROM planes and two private aircraft on the same day. 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. Egyptian officials were reportedly mediating the release of Palestinian women in Israeli prisons in exchange for Israeli women captured by Palestinian militants.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of a naval strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford to the eastern Mediterranean. The group also included the cruiser USS Normandy and the destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney, and USS Roosevelt. The US Air Force augmented its F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter squadrons in the region. Hamas called the move an "attempt to boost the morale of the crumbing Israeli army" and "participation in the aggression against our people".

Economic

Following the outbreak of fighting, the price of Brent crude climbed by $2.50 a barrel to $87.05, while the price of West Texas Intermediate crude rose by $2.70 a barrel to $85.50. The Israeli energy ministry ordered Chevron to temporarily shut down the offshore Tamar gas field. The price of gold increased by $20 an ounce to reach $1,851 on 9 October.

On 8 October, Israel's TA-35 index fell by 6.47%, its largest loss since 2020. The value of the New Israeli Shekel fell by 1.63% to trade at 3.90 against the US dollar, its weakest showing in seven years. In response, the Bank of Israel announced on 9 October that it would sell up to $30 billion in foreign reserves to support and provide up to $15 billion in liquidity to the market through SWAP mechanisms. This was the Israeli central bank's first ever sale of foreign exchange.

Iran's stock market index also fell by 2.5%.

Disinformation

Soon after Hamas's attack, disinformation about the war spread on social media platforms, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter). On October 10, researchers found that a network of 67 X accounts was coordinating a campaign of pushing false information about the war. The European Union warned Elon Musk that X was hosting disinformation and illegal content about the war, with potential fines of up to 6% of the company's global revenue. Musk had previously recommended two accounts that previously promoted a false claim about an explosion near the Pentagon for updates about the war.

Far-right commentator Ian Miles Cheong posted a video of Israeli law enforcement that he claimed to show Palestinian soldiers killing Israeli citizens. Other videos falsely linked to the war included an October 4 video of children in cages and footage from Arma 3 being presented as Hamas soldiers shooting down an Israeli helicopter. Fake accounts pretending to be a BBC journalist and The Jerusalem Post promoted false information about the war prior to X suspending them.

Military aid

The United States sent Israel military aid.

Analysis

According to Daniel Byman and Alexander Palmer, the attacks showcased the decline of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the rise of Hamas as the main power center in Palestinian politics. They predicted the PLO's further decline if the status quo held. Citing the Israeli intelligence failure, which some observers attributed to the incumbent government focusing more on internal dissent, the judiciary reform, and efforts to deepen Israel's occupation of the West Bank, some commentators criticized Netanyahu for putting aside the PLO and propping up Hamas, and described him as a liability.

According to Israeli analyst Seth Frantzman, the attack signified a notable escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. It stood out for its substantial scale and reach, encompassing both rocket fire and border attacks in Gaza. This event marked a significant departure from prior conflicts, which typically followed a phased progression with a gradual escalation of tensions. It has been compared to the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the 2001 September 11 attacks, the 2003 Ramadan Offensive, the 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor, and the 1968 Tet Offensive. Like the Viet Cong Tet Offensive, Hamas' offensive came on the morning of a holiday, seemed to be "everywhere at once", and demonstrated capabilities not thought possible in a guerrilla force.

Israeli intelligence failure

Political journalist Peter Beaumont described the attack as "an intelligence failure for the ages" on the part of the Israeli government. Similarly, the Jewish News Syndicate deemed it a "failure of imagination". A BBC report tackled the intelligence failure question, claiming that while Israel had the most extensive and well-funded intelligence agency in the region, and a network of informants and agents inside militant groups, it had failed to foresee the escalation. It added that "it must have taken extraordinary levels of operational security by Hamas." US officials expressed shock at how Israeli intelligence was unaware of any preparations by Hamas. Amir Avivi, former deputy commander of the Gaza Division of Israel's military, told the Financial Times, which reported that the attacks shook faith in the country's intelligence services, that "this is a failure that is no smaller than the Yom Kippur War." An unnamed Egyptian intelligence official told the Associated Press that "[Egypt] warned them an explosion of the situation is coming, and very soon, and it would be big. But they underestimated such warnings." Yaakov Amidror, a former National Security Advisor to Netanyahu, said that the attack proves "the [intelligence] abilities in Gaza were no good".

Sources in Hamas and Israel's military establishment told Reuters that the attack was the culmination of a years-long campaign by Hamas to deceive Israel into thinking that the group was primarily interested in economic and governance issues instead of fighting. An IDF colonel anonymously reported to Middle East Eye that intelligence units had detected Hamas training activities but misjudged their intent; they assessed these would be used in a series of separate attacks, rather than a large combined one.

Context of the Israeli occupation

Many analysts stressed that the Palestinian attacks came in the context of the Israeli occupation. Stephen M. Walt wrote that Palestinians feel they have no choice but to use force against the occupier, and that the Palestinian offensive was a violent response to Israel's decades long treatment of Palestinians. The Hindu wrote that the Israeli occupation was "the longest in modern history" and created a "fuming volcano". According to the Associated Press, Palestinians are "in despair over a never-ending occupation in the West Bank and suffocating blockade of Gaza". Roger Cohen wrote that the increasing Israeli control over millions of Palestinians "incubated bloodshed". Prior to the attack Saudi Arabia had warned Israel of an "explosion" as a result of the continued occupation. According to Daoud Kuttab, Egypt had warned Israel of a catastrophe unless there was political progress, and similar warnings were given by Palestinian Authority officials. Less than two months before the attacks, King Abdullah II of Jordan had lamented that Palestinians have "no civil rights; no freedom of mobility".

Simon Tisdall pointed to the uptick in Israeli–Palestinian violence in 2023 as portending war, and claimed that Netanyahu refused to negotiate the peace process, adding fuel to the fire. Many Israelis assumed the Palestinian question had become a nonissue, and the rights of Palestinians were ignored. Yousef Munayyer writes that the Biden administration had ignored the Palestinian issue. As late as 29 September, Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, proclaimed that "the Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades." The Palestinian issue disappeared from the global agenda.

According to an analysis in The Independent, the blockade on Gaza created hopelessness among Palestinians, and this was exploited by Hamas, who convinced young Palestinian men that violence was the only solution. Daoud Kuttab writes that Palestinian attempts to solve the conflict via negotiations or non-violent boycotts have been fruitless. 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."

Effect on Israeli–Saudi Arabian normalization

In an analysis by The Times of Israel, the newspaper wrote that "Hamas has violently shifted the world's eyes back to the Palestinians and dealt a severe blow to the momentum for securing a landmark US-brokered deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia." The New York Times reported that the prospects of Israeli and Saudi normalization appeared dimmer, citing Saudi Arabia's statement that the country had repeatedly warned "of the dangers of the explosion of the situation as a result of the continued occupation, the deprivation of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights and the repetition of systemic provocations against its sanctities."

Andreas Kluth wrote in his Bloomberg News column that Hamas "torched Biden's deal to remake the Middle East", arguing that the deal that was being discussed between Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United States would have left Palestinians in the cold, so the group decided to "blow the whole thing up." He added that, viewed from Gaza, things were only going to get worse, considering that Netanyahu's coalition partners opposed a two-state solution for the conflict, and that they would prefer to annex the entirety of the West Bank, even at the expense of turning Israel into an apartheid state, something critics have long claimed as Israel's goal.

Speculation arose that Iran was trying to sabotage relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, with former head of research for Shin Bet Neomi Neumann saying the attack could have been timed in part due to Iran's hopes to scuttle efforts to normalize relations between Israel and its Sunni rival. On 9 October, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani denied claims of Tehran's involvement in Hamas' attack.

Possible spread

Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, speculated the war would spread to Jerusalem and the West Bank. Hashim Safi Al Din, Head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, echoed these sentiments.

Max Abrahms, a political scientist at Northeastern University, stated that the conflict could escalate into a war between Israel and Iran.

Effect on Russian invasion of Ukraine

See also: Israel–Russia relations, Israel–Ukraine relations, and Antisemitism in Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned against diverting attention from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russian propagandists celebrated the war, calling it an intelligence failure of the West and hoping it would divert attention from the Russo-Ukrainian War.

War crimes

Hamas's "massacre of civilians and taking of at least 150 hostages" are war crimes. A UN Commission said there is "clear evidence that war crimes may have been committed in the latest explosion of violence in Israel and Gaza, and all those who have violated international law and targeted civilians must be held accountable".

Palestinian

Further information: Re'im music festival massacre, Netiv HaAsara attack, Be'eri massacre, and Kfar Aza massacre

According to Human Rights Watch, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups infiltrated homes, shot civilians en masse, and took scores of Israeli civilians as hostages into Gaza. It said that the deliberate targeting of civilians, indiscriminate attacks, and taking of civilians as hostages amount to war crimes under international humanitarian law.

Footage from the attacks on the Re'im music festival posted on a Telegram channel included graphic depictions of murder and hostage-taking. These actions have been described by legal experts as constituting war crimes, and likely crimes against humanity.

The attack by Palestinian groups has been categorized by the Israeli government as a war crime.

Israeli

Further information: October 2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip

On 9 October, the Israeli defense minister stated that he had ordered a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip, saying electricity, food, fuel and water would be cut off. According to Human Rights Watch, punitive measures against Gaza's civilian population would amount to unlawful collective punishment, which is a war crime.

On 10 October, the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor issued a statement that Israel committed "widespread crimes against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip", noting hundreds of civilian deaths from the bombing of numerous residential structures without prior warning. The statement stressed that international humanitarian law considers the killing of civilians to be a war crime, which may rise to the level of crimes against humanity.

See also

• Timeline of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 2023
• List of wars involving Israel

External links

• Escalation in the Gaza Strip and Israel | OCHA Flash Update #1 as of 18:00, 7 October 2023
• OCHA Escalation in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #2
• OCHA Escalation in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #3