On October 7th, on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. At around 6:30 AM (3:30 GMT), Hamas launched a barricade of rockets directed toward Israel, with sirens being heard as far as Tel Aviv and Beersheba. Upon this initial assault, Mohammed Deif, head of the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, declared, “We announce the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and we announce that the first strike, which targeted enemy positions, airports, and military fortifications, exceeded 5,000 missiles and shells.” The rocket attack functioned as a cover for a land-based infiltration, which began approximately an hour and 10 minutes after the attack (4:40 GMT). Most fighters entered the Israeli border through security breaches, but others found more creative ways to enter, such as flying over in powered parachutes. 

At 9:45AM (6:45 GMT), Israel responded. Approximately 15 minutes after blasts were said to have been heard in Gaza, an Israeli military spokesperson announced that Israel’s Air Force was carrying out attacks on Gaza. Saleh al-Arouri, deputy chief of Hamas in the occupied West Bank, issued a call to arms, stating, “We must all fight this battle, especially the resistance fighters in the West Bank.” 

One major tactic of Hamas fighters was raiding border towns. On October 7th, Hamas fighters raided numerous Israeli border towns including Sderot, Be’eri, and Ofakim, while Israel continued the airstrike operations. According to the first Israeli police report on the October 7th attacks, Palestinian forces had originally intended to attack the nearby town of Kibbutz Re’im near the Gaza border, but instead, discovered the Supernova music festival near the intended targets. The death toll from the attack on the festival was 364, and 40 festival attendees were taken hostage. According to the New York Times, as of the initial October 7th attacks, the Israeli death toll was 1,200, 70% of which were identified as civilians, not soldiers. The Gaza death toll was at least 413 people, including 78 children, and more than 2,300 wounded, according to the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip. 

On the evening of October 7th, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video addressing Israeli citizens. He stated, “We are at war. Not in an operation or in fighting rounds, but at war.” Authorized by Article 40 of Israel's basic law, Netanyahu was authorized to take “significant military steps.” Within the next six days, Israel claims to have dropped 6,000 bombs on Gaza. The Israel Electric Corporation, which accounts for 80% of Gaza's electricity, cut off electricity to Gaza, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said he had ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip, which also meant cutting off food and fuel supplies from entering Gaza. 

On October 13th, Israel issued a 24-hour evacuation order to the 1 million citizens of North Gaza, which drew backlash from various humanitarian organizations, such as Doctors Without Borders, due to the impossible nature of the task. Four days later, on October 17th, Israel began bombing southern Gaza, killing many of those who were evacuating south from the north. In addition, several Gaza hospitals were also bombed, including ​​Al-Ahli Arab Hospital (neither party takes responsibility for this attack, but the World Health Organization offers evidence that Israel was behind it), areas surrounding Al-Quds Hospital, and Al-Shifa Hospital, the latter two of which were targeted by Israel, leading to hundreds of deaths. Jabalia, Gaza’s largest refugee camp, was also bombed by Israel, and major roadways such as the Salah al-Din road connecting northern and southern Gaza were blocked off.

On October 27th, Israel almost completely shut off Gaza’s internet and cellphone services, as Gaza’s lack of fuel led to telecommunications companies shutting down. As of November 17th, internet and telecom services partially reopened, as Israel announced that it would allow two trucks of fuel a day into Gaza–half of what the U.N. says would be necessary to power Gaza's water systems, hospitals, and various other civilian aid mechanisms.

Although the conflict primarily spans the Gaza Strip, the West Bank is also an area undergoing conflict. The Israeli military and Israeli settlers killed more than 200 Palestinians in the area, and Palestinians have killed four Israelis since October 7th in the West Bank, which is controlled by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Although numbers tend to vary, according to Al Jazeera, the Palestinian death toll, as of December 4th, 2023, is said to have surpassed 15,800, including the deaths of over 6,000 children. Israel reports that due to the initial attack on Israel by Hamas, the death toll in Israel is over 1,400, with over 200 hostages seized. It is important to note that no number can be fully accurate and representative of the death toll on either side, as challenges arise in verifying the dead in intense situations.

In addition to the deaths, the ongoing humanitarian crisis also threatens the future stability of the region. An estimated 1.5 million of the 2 million residents in Gaza have been displaced, with a lack of electricity, fuel, food, and clean water further exacerbating the situation. Especially in parts of North Gaza, some individuals struggle to get access to the necessary three liters of water a day, and the lack of personal hygiene necessities risks the spread of disease in the region. Furthermore, Israel’s loss of 1,200 citizens and 236 hostages, ranging from infants to the elderly, has also devastated the humanitarian well-being of the state.

Although, as of November 23rd, 2023, the Israeli government has approved an initial deal with Hamas that initiates a four-day pause in fighting, the release of at least 50 women and children held hostage in Gaza, and the release of 150 Palestinians from Israeli jails. The deal was a significant milestone in negotiations between the two sides, which has been brokered by the U.S. and Qatar. The agreement also allows humanitarian aid and fuel into the Gaza Strip. On November 25th, Hamas released 17 hostages, including Israelis and foreign nationals, with the youngest being a 3-year-old girl and the oldest a grandmother. One hostage, a 4-year-old Israeli-American, Abigail Edan, was the youngest American hostage and was released. Another young girl released was Emily Hand, who turned 9 years old in captivity. Initially, 13 Israeli civilians and four Thai nationals were released by Hamas, and Israel freed 39 Palestinian detainees and prisoners. After a three-day extension to the four-day ceasefire (a total of one week without fighting), 105 hostages were released from Hamas captivity, including 81 women and children, one Russian-Israeli man (released in a special concession to Russian President Vladimir Putin), and 24 foreign nationals (23 Thais and one Filipino). In weeks prior to the ceasefire, 4 Israeli women were released by Hamas, raising the total number of Israelis released to 86 individuals.

After the one-week ceasefire, the fighting did in fact resume. Israeli F-16 bombers first direct shots at around 400 targets near the Rafah border crossing along Egypt, and the focus of attacks seems to be North Gaza, with troops likely to be advancing towards Gaza City. Although intermediary countries such as Qatar and the United States urge another ceasefire between the two sides, fighting continues. As of December 4th, 2023, more than 80% of Gaza’s population has been displaced. If fighting of such magnitude persists, the crisis could pose another shock to the multifaceted politics of the region, potentially driving other actors and countries in the Middle East to take sides, ultimately driving polarization and creating more grave humanitarian and social impacts.