War in Gaza
What happened on October 7?
EXPLAINED FROM SOURCES
The short answer
On 7 October 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups launched a major attack from Gaza into southern Israel. Attackers entered Israeli communities, military bases and the Nova music festival. They deliberately killed civilians as well as Israeli soldiers and took people back to Gaza as hostages.
The fuller explanation
On 7 October 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups launched a major attack from Gaza into southern Israel.
Attackers entered Israeli communities, military bases and the Nova music festival. They deliberately killed civilians as well as Israeli soldiers and took people back to Gaza as hostages.
Around 1,200 people were killed, including hundreds of civilians, and around 250 people were taken hostage, according to revised Israeli figures cited by major international institutions.
UN investigators found reasonable grounds that Hamas and other armed groups deliberately killed civilians, took hostages and committed sexual violence. They concluded that these acts included war crimes.
October 7 did not happen in a historical vacuum: Palestinians had already lived through decades of conflict, occupation and blockade. But that context does not make deliberately killing or kidnapping civilians lawful.
The attack triggered Israel’s enormous military assault on Gaza.