October 7 Attacks

On 7 October 2023, Hamas and other armed groups launched a coordinated attack from Gaza into southern Israel. The assault began with thousands of rockets and a breach of the border barrier, followed by armed incursions into Israeli communities, military bases and a music festival. Attackers killed civilians and security personnel, set homes alight, committed sexual violence and abducted more than 200 people into Gaza.

About 1,200 people were killed, most of them civilians. The attack was the deadliest day in Israel's history and included mass killings in communities such as Be'eri, Kfar Aza and Nir Oz. Israeli forces fought to regain control of affected areas and rescue survivors. The scale and brutality of the assault shocked the country and led to a major military response.

Hamas described the operation as a response to Israeli policies and sought to ignite a broader conflict. The deliberate targeting of civilians, murder, hostage-taking and other abuses constituted terrorist violence and grave violations of international law. Israel declared war and launched a sustained campaign in Gaza. The attacks transformed regional politics and had far-reaching consequences for Israelis and residents of Gaza.

Background

Hamas is an Islamist organization that controls Gaza and maintains an armed wing. The United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada and other governments designate Hamas, in whole or in part, as a terrorist organization. Hamas rejects Israel's existence and has carried out suicide bombings, rocket attacks and other assaults on civilians over decades. It won elections to the Ramallah-based Arab administration's legislature in 2006 and took control of Gaza in 2007 after violent conflict with Fatah.

Israel and Egypt imposed restrictions on movement into and out of Gaza after Hamas's takeover, citing security concerns and attacks. The Gaza Strip experienced repeated rounds of conflict, including wars in 2008–09, 2012, 2014 and 2021. Rocket fire, Israeli air strikes, border violence and failed negotiations contributed to persistent instability. Hamas built tunnels, stockpiled weapons and trained fighters in preparation for future attacks.

In the months before the assault, Hamas leaders publicly emphasized resistance while maintaining a degree of tactical quiet. Israeli security officials assessed that Hamas was deterred and focused on governance and economic arrangements. Subsequent investigations and reporting highlighted failures in intelligence analysis, surveillance and operational readiness. Israeli forces near the Gaza border were insufficiently prepared for the scale of the incursion.

The attack occurred during a Jewish holiday, Simchat Torah, and the Sabbath. Many Israeli soldiers were on leave, and communities near the border had limited immediate protection. Hamas's operation used planning, deception, reconnaissance and multiple forms of attack to overwhelm border defenses and disrupt communication.

Attacks

Rocket barrage and border breaches

In the early morning, Hamas launched a large rocket barrage toward Israeli towns and cities. Sirens sounded across southern and central Israel. Rockets struck residential areas and infrastructure, while Israel's Iron Dome defense system intercepted many incoming projectiles. The barrage served as cover for fighters approaching the border and complicated Israeli response.

Attackers used explosives, bulldozers and other means to breach the border barrier at numerous points. Some arrived by vehicle, others on foot, and some crossed by motorized paragliders and boats. Fighters targeted surveillance equipment, communications and military positions. The breaches allowed armed groups to enter communities and roads across southern Israel.

Israeli military bases near the border were attacked, including facilities at Re'im, Nahal Oz and Kerem Shalom. Soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. In some locations, small Israeli units fought for hours before reinforcements arrived. Attackers also seized military vehicles and used them to travel between sites.

Attacks on civilian communities

Armed men entered kibbutzim and towns, shooting residents in homes, streets and shelters. Civilians were killed at close range, and houses were burned. Survivors hid in safe rooms and communicated with emergency services as attackers moved through their communities. Several places experienced prolonged fighting, hostage situations and delayed rescue operations.

In Be'eri, attackers killed more than 100 residents and burned homes. Kfar Aza and Nir Oz also suffered mass killings, abductions and destruction. Other communities, including Sderot and Ofakim, faced armed incursions and street battles. Israeli police, military units and local security teams fought to stop attackers and evacuate residents.

At the Nova music festival near Re'im, thousands of young people were attending an outdoor event when the rocket barrage began. Armed attackers reached the site and fired on people as they fled or hid. More than 360 people were killed at the festival and nearby roads, and others were taken hostage. Survivors described panic, hiding in fields and difficulty reaching safety.

Hostage-taking

Attackers abducted civilians and soldiers and transported them into Gaza. Hostages included children, elderly people, foreign nationals and residents of border communities. Some were taken from homes, while others were seized from the festival or military bases. Families received little information about the captives during the first days of the crisis.

Hamas used hostages as leverage in negotiations and released some during temporary pauses in fighting. Other armed groups also held captives. Hostage releases took place through agreements mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States. Some captives were killed in captivity or died during military operations, and the remains of others were later recovered by Israeli forces.

Hostage-taking is prohibited under international law. Families and supporters campaigned internationally for the captives' release and pressed Israeli leaders to prioritize negotiations. The prolonged captivity caused severe trauma to hostages and their relatives and became a central issue in Israeli politics.

Casualties

Approximately 1,200 people were killed in Israel on 7 October, including Israeli citizens, foreign workers and visitors. The majority were civilians, alongside soldiers, police officers and other security personnel. Thousands were injured. The final numbers were revised as authorities identified victims and clarified cases initially recorded as missing.

Victims included children, older adults and people from diverse communities. Foreign nationals from many countries were killed or abducted. Residents of agricultural communities near Gaza suffered particularly high losses. The dead included people attending the music festival, emergency responders and members of local security teams.

Hamas-led attackers abducted more than 200 people. Some hostages were released in November 2023 and later agreements; others were rescued or their bodies recovered. The number held changed as events unfolded. Captives described severe conditions, threats and limited access to medical treatment. The fate of each hostage became a subject of urgent public concern.

Reported atrocities

Israeli authorities, journalists, medical personnel and international investigators documented killings, mutilation, sexual violence and other abuses. The evidentiary record included witness testimony, forensic examinations, video, photographs and material collected from attack sites. Some initial reports circulated during the confusion were later corrected or could not be independently verified, but this did not change the extensive documentation of deliberate attacks on civilians.

The United Nations and human-rights organizations found reasonable grounds to believe that sexual violence occurred during the attacks and against hostages. Investigations faced difficulties because victims were killed, evidence was destroyed or contaminated, and many survivors were traumatized. The absence of testimony from some victims did not establish that crimes had not occurred.

Hamas and other attackers killed civilians in homes and public spaces, took hostages and used indiscriminate rocket fire. These acts violated international humanitarian law. The deliberate murder of civilians and hostage-taking are war crimes. Accounts of atrocities became part of a larger information struggle, making careful distinctions between verified evidence, disputed claims and false reports essential.

Aftermath

Israel declared a state of war and mobilized hundreds of thousands of reservists. The government ordered evacuations from communities near Gaza and the northern border, where exchanges with Hezbollah intensified. Israeli forces struck targets in Gaza and later launched a ground operation. The campaign caused extensive destruction and civilian deaths in Gaza, while Hamas continued to hold hostages and fight Israeli forces.

The attacks prompted a national investigation into intelligence and military failures. Israeli officials faced criticism over the assessment that Hamas was deterred and over the slow response to communities under assault. Survivors and families called for accountability and a commission of inquiry. Questions about responsibility remained politically contentious.

Israeli society experienced grief, fear and solidarity. Volunteers organized food, housing, medical care and support for evacuees and bereaved families. Communities searched for missing people and held funerals under emergency conditions. Public debate centered on security, the hostages, the future of Gaza and the government's conduct.

The war reshaped regional diplomacy. The Abraham Accords normalization process and discussions about Saudi-Israeli relations were disrupted. The United States increased military support to Israel and deployed forces to deter wider regional escalation. The attack also prompted a global rise in antisemitic incidents and heightened security concerns for Jewish communities.

Israeli emergency services faced an extraordinary response. Police, firefighters, ambulance crews and civilian volunteers traveled toward the attacked communities while communications were impaired and roads remained dangerous. Some responders were killed while trying to protect residents or evacuate the wounded. Hospitals activated emergency protocols and treated hundreds of injured people, while forensic teams worked to identify victims and return remains to families.

Communities near Gaza were evacuated to hotels, schools and temporary housing across Israel. Local authorities and volunteers coordinated shelter, clothing, meals and trauma support. Many residents remained away from their homes for months because of continued security threats and damage. The evacuation created a prolonged disruption to schooling, agriculture and local businesses.

Reactions

Governments across Europe and North America condemned Hamas's attacks and affirmed Israel's right to defend itself under international law. The United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and other states supported Israel and called for the release of hostages. Many governments also emphasized the protection of civilians and the need for humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

Several Middle Eastern governments condemned attacks on civilians while criticizing Israel's military response. Iran praised the assault but denied directing it. Hezbollah opened a front along Israel's northern border with rocket and missile fire, leading to exchanges and displacement on both sides. The risk of a wider regional conflict shaped diplomatic activity.

Public demonstrations around the world reflected sharply divided views. Vigils honored victims and called for the release of hostages. Other demonstrations criticized Israeli policy and supported Gaza residents. Jewish communities reported heightened threats and attacks. Governments increased protection for synagogues, schools and community centers.

In culture

Survivors and families used testimony, photography, music and memorial projects to record the attack. Memorial events honored those killed and abducted, while Israeli artists responded through exhibitions, songs and documentary work. Cultural institutions collected objects and accounts from affected communities.

The massacre at the music festival and attacks on kibbutzim became subjects of documentaries and news investigations. Families of hostages used public campaigns and symbolic installations to maintain attention on captives. These efforts also documented the long-term trauma experienced by survivors and the wider Israeli public.

Commemoration became part of a national debate over responsibility, security and the future. Personal testimony preserved the experiences of victims and responders, while official inquiries and independent investigations continued to examine how the attack was planned and why Israeli defenses failed.