Following Hamas’ attacks across Israel on October 7, Israel and Hamas have engaged in a complex and divisive war, plunging the Middle East region into crisis. This article will examine key events from the initial attacks until the first ceasefire agreement, outlining Israel’s retaliatory aerial campaign, controversial military tactics, and invasion of northern Gaza.
At this time, Gazan casualty reports do not differentiate between military and civilian deaths when discussing particular events, so this article will only be able to provide total death tolls for Gazans.
Initial Attacks
On October 7, Hamas forces invaded southern Israel, capturing 240 hostages, committing mass sexual assault and torture, and killing over 1,000 people, sometimes in gruesome or cruel ways. They also fired an estimated 3,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip. The scale of the attack was unprecedented, marking Israel’s largest single-day loss of life since its establishment in 1948.
Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh said shortly after the attack, “This attack has put an end to this policy [of occupation] and to these Zionist plans of this fascist government in Israel against… Palestinian people everywhere.”
Military Goals
On October 7, Israel launched Operation Swords of Iron, declaring a state of war for the first time since 1973. At the onset of the war, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. General Herzi Halevi stated, “There are… no shortcuts in the thorough dismantling of a terror[ist] organization, but stubborn and determined fighting.”
Due to the attack’s severity, the IDF has taken a rigid stance with clear goals, issuing the following war objectives:
Dismantle Hamas’ military capabilities
Remove Hamas from power in Gaza
Rescue and retrieve every hostage
However, the methods by which Israel intends to remove Hamas remain unclear. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to control the Gaza Strip after the war ends and expressed aspirations that “Gaza [will have] a different future, better for us and for the Palestinians, and …the entire Middle East.” He rejected suggestions for an international force to assume leadership of the area. Governance by a reformed Palestinian Authority was also discussed. Day-after plans remain unclear at the time of publishing.
Netanyahu has faced extensive criticism for his lack of direction in this regard. On May 15, 2024, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that “the meaning of indecision is choosing one of the negative options. It would erode our military achievements, lessen the pressure on Hamas, and sabotage the chances of achieving a framework for the release of hostages.” He further called on the Prime Minister to “make a decision and declare that Israel will not establish civilian control over the Gaza Strip, that Israel will not establish military governance in the Gaza Strip, and that a governing alternative to Hamas in the Gaza Strip will be raised immediately.” United States President Joe Biden echoed this sentiment, asserting,“When this crisis is over, there has to be a vision of what comes next… It means a concentrated effort from all the parties—Israelis, Palestinians, regional partners, global leaders—to put us on a path toward peace.”
Ground Invasion Delay
On October 9, the IDF mobilized hundreds of thousands of reservists and deployed their counterterrorism unit, Yamam, on the Gazan border. However, the invasion was delayed, in part due to US pressure and calls to allow aid into Gaza. The US Department of Defense urged Israel to allow them time to prepare air defenses for US troops serving in the Middle East. Israel used this delay to gain intelligence while attempting to secure the release of hostages through diplomatic measures before ultimately invading Gaza.
Initial Bombing Campaign
Israel retaliated with an extensive aerial campaign throughout Gaza. On October 12, the IDF bombed the Nukhba Forces, the Hamas military unit responsible for the October 7 attack. Israeli residents near Gaza were cautioned to remain close to shelters. Roads surrounding Gaza and Tel Aviv were closed, while railways altered routes. The Gaza Strip was blockaded, curtailing electricity and humanitarian aid. Human Rights Watch condemned this action as collective punishment and a war crime. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant defended it, saying, “We are fighting human animals, and… [are] acting accordingly.”
On October 18, the blockade was laxened, allowing food, water, and medical supplies to enter Gaza. In the first month of the conflict, 11,000 Palestinian fatalities were reported. By mid-December, nearly 70% of homes in Gaza were damaged or destroyed. Israel stated that these operations targeted Hamas’ network of tunnels underneath Gaza, which had been used to hide hostages on October 7th. The tunnels are located beneath densely populated civilian areas in Gaza.
Ground Incursion of Northern Gaza
On October 27, Israel invaded Northern Gaza from three fronts: the northeastern front, through Beit Hanoun; the northwestern front, through Beit Lahia; and the eastern front, through Juhor ad-Dik.
Netanyahu stated, “The second phase of the war has begun,” re-issuing calls to evacuate Gaza City. Three days later, Salah al-Din Road, which connects North and South Gaza, was blocked in order to prevent the mobilization and transportation of Hamas forces.
On November 2, the IDF laid siege to Gaza City. Three days later, the IDF announced 29 IDF soldiers had died since the beginning of the ground offensive. The next week, four more soldiers were killed and four others wounded in a tunnel explosion near Beit Hanoun.
A week later, a fuel shortage limited Gaza’s internet access. At US insistence, Israel allowed fuel delivery into Gaza for telecommunication services and humanitarian aid. By March, the death toll in Gaza exceeded 30,000 Gazans. On a podcast, Prime Minister Netanyahu estimated that this figure is comprised of roughly 14,000 combatants and 16,000 civilians.
Evacuation
On October 13, Gazans north of Wadi, Gaza were told to evacuate to the south. Israel was accused of bombing a designated evacuation route, but the IDF denied involvement. Independent analysis from the Financial Times suggested an IDF missile to be the most plausible explanation for the bombing, while the BBC was unable to determine the cause.
Four days later, Israel targeted Hamas forces in southern Gaza. 70 casualties were reported, including senior Hamas commander Ayman Nofal.
Hospital Controversies
Israel and Hamas have both faced scrutiny regarding actions within hospitals; Hamas for using them as bases, and Israel for attacking them despite a civilian presence.
According to international law, hospitals may not be attacked. However, the International Criminal Court (ICC) stipulates that hospitals can lose their protected status if utilized for warfare. In such an event, hospitals may be targeted as long as proper precautions are taken to ensure civilian safety.
On October 17, an explosion occurred outside al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital. Israel was initially blamed, causing Jordan to cancel a quadrilateral summit with US, Egyptian, and Palestinian leaders. Further investigation revealed the explosion to be the result of a misfired PlJ rocket, which crashed right outside the hospital.
Al-Shifa Hospital
Israel launched a raid on al-Shifa hospital on November 16, believing it to house a Hamas command center. U.S. intelligence confirmed the presence of an Islamic Jihad command center, weapons, and hostages under al-Shifa Hospital. The Islamic Jihad is a group allied with Hamas, but under its own leadership. Analysis by The Washington Post initially discovered no immediate proof of military use by Hamas. Declassified intelligence released by the US subsequently confirmed Israel’s claim, revealing that forces had fled shortly before the raid.
The bodies of two hostages, Yehudit Weiss and Noa Marciano, were later found in a nearby building. An IDF spokesperson released security footage from October 7 showing hostages led by gunmen near al-Shifa Hospital. As they revealed the footage, they said, “[B]y now the truth is clear: Hamas wages war from hospitals.”
Jabaliya Refugee Camp
The IDF considers the Jabaliya refugee camp a Hamas stronghold, attacking it on 13 separate occasions between October 7 and November 30.
The IDF conducted two major strikes on October 31 and November 31. The UN Human Rights Office described the strikes as “disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes.” The attack collapsed Hamas tunnels, causing nearby buildings to cave in. Casualty estimates range between 50-195 deaths and 150-400 injuries. Israel asserted that dozens of Hamas terrorists, including a senior commander, were killed from the strikes and collapses. Hamas denied the claim.
Two days later, Israel struck again, killing 15 Palestinians and wounding dozens. Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam brigades, claimed 23 bodies of hostages were found under the rubble. This could not be confirmed.
Two weeks later, Israel struck again, killing 80 Gazans.
On November 20, the front line shifted to encircle the refugee camp. Three days later, heavy fighting occurred in and around Jabaliya, with Israeli jets hitting over 300 targets and killing an estimated 27 people.
Global Response
International responses to October 7 largely condemned Hamas. However, several nations, including Qatar and Iraq, blamed Israeli occupation and human rights violations for the attacks.
Before the ground invasion, the UN Human Rights Office called for a ceasefire over humanitarian concerns, with many countries echoing the sentiment.
Ceasefire
After two months of negotiations brokered by Egypt, the US, and Qatar, a four-day ceasefire agreement was reached. The ceasefire took effect on November 24, during which 50 hostages, solely women and children, were released in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas stipulated that Israel pause air attacks over southern Gaza and maintain a daily six-hour no-flying window over northern Gaza. Hundreds of fuel trucks, humanitarian aid, and medical supplies entered Gaza. Israel stated the truce would be extended one day for every ten additional hostages released. Qatari Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad bin Mubarak al-Khulaifi expressed hope the deal would serve as “a seed to a bigger agreement and a permanent cease of fire.” Despite the optimism, on December 1, the truce came to an end with an allegation from Hamas that Israel had rejected a hostage exchange deal in order to prolong the truce. Hamas then launched rockets at Sderot, thus violating the ceasefire, and fighting resumed.Hamas claimed that Israel violated the ceasefire first with aerial bombardments.
Conclusion
As of August 15, 2024, the war produced over 41,000 casualties: an estimated 40,000 Gazans and 1,400 Israelis. The IDF estimated that there had been 25,000 Gazan civilian fatalities and 20,000 militants, approximately 30% of Hamas’ forces. US intelligence estimated a lower military fatality rate. Israel saw 1,000 civilian deaths and over 500 military casualties, including 237 in the ground invasion.
Negotiations for another ceasefire persisted for the better part of the year, although no agreement was finalized, prompting protests by families of hostages. The negotiations fell through in August, at least for the time being. The US admitted that Hamas’ ceasefire demands were too unreasonable to accept and that they did not seem to want to reach a deal at all. Negotiations seemed to be a lesser priority with impending conflict arising in Iran. Tensions heighten and developments occur daily as the war continues to unfold.
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