2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel

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2023 Hamas attack on Israel
Part of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war

Satellite view of widespread fires in Israel around the Gaza Strip on 7 October 2023.[5]
Date7 October 2023[1]
Location
Southern Israel
Result
Belligerents
 Israel[1]
Units involved
Strength
Al-Qassam Brigades: 3,000 infiltrated Israel[a] Unknown
Casualties and losses
  • 1,000 militants killed (per Israel)[12]
  • 200 militants captured (per Israel)[11]

Around 1,200 Israelis killed[13][14]

  • 845 Israeli civilians (according to Israeli police)[15]
  • At least 278 Israeli soldiers (according to Israeli military)[16]
  • 57 policemen (according to Israeli police)[17]
  • 10 Shin Bet members killed[8]
  • 247 civilians and soldiers taken captive[18]
  • 100–200 civilians and soldiers missing[19]

A series of coordinated attacks, conducted by the Palestinian Islamist militant group[b] Hamas, from the Gaza Strip onto bordering areas in Israel, commenced on Saturday, 7 October 2023, a Sabbath day and date of several Jewish holidays. Hamas meticulously planned for a massacre of Israeli civilians with the goal of provoking Israel to invade Gaza.[20] The attacks initiated the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, almost exactly fifty years after the Yom Kippur War began on 6 October 1973. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups named the attacks Operation Al-Aqsa Flood (or Deluge; Arabic: عملية طوفان الأقصى, romanizedʿamaliyyat ṭūfān al-ʾAqṣā),[1] while they are referred to in Israel as Black Saturday (Hebrew: השבת השחורה),[21] the Simchat Torah Massacre (הטבח בשמחת תורה),[22] and the 7/10 attacks or 7 October attacks (פיגועי 7 באוקטובר).[23][c]

The attacks began in the early morning with a rocket barrage of at least 3,000 rockets launched against Israel and vehicle-transported and powered paraglider incursions into its territory.[24][25] Hamas fighters breached the Gaza–Israel barrier, killing civilians in neighboring Israeli communities and attacking Israeli military bases. In a single day, around 845 Israeli civilians and a minimum of 345 Israeli soldiers and policemen were killed in nearby towns, kibbutzim, military bases and at a music festival near Re'im.[26][13][14][8] Around 200 Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip, of which the number of kidnapped children is about 30.[27][28][29]

At least 44 nations, mostly Western, denounced the attack as terrorism, while Arab and Muslim countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, Iran and Iraq have blamed Israel for the attack.[30][31][32] The day was described by various media outlets and politicians, like US President Joe Biden, as the bloodiest in Israel's history and the deadliest for Jews since the Holocaust.[33][34][35][36]

Background

This attack was the first major engagement between Hamas and Israelis since the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, although there have been smaller conflicts. An anonymous source "close to Hamas" claimed that Hamas reduced military activity in a deliberate effort to deceive Israel into believing Hamas was not a threat.[37] In order to maintain stability in the region, the Israeli Defense Ministry decided in 2022 to issue an additional 1,500 permits for Gazans to work in Israel, bringing the total number of workers to 17,000.[38] Mohammed Deif, commander of the attack, named the operation "Al-Aqsa Flood" in reference to the 2022 Al-Aqsa clashes, in which Israeli police raided a mosque following clashes between Palestinians and police.[39][1]

Hamas militants had prepared in at least six training camps across the Gaza Strip for two years before the attack. This involved conducting practice hostage takings, storming of mock Israeli settlements, and training with motorized paragliders. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus stated that such training facilities were "nothing new" and that Israel had "struck many training areas over the years in the different rounds of escalation".[40] Documents later found on killed Hamas militants, and obtained by the Washington Post and NBC News, revealed extensive study of communities and army bases near the Gaza-Israel border, and the intent to inflict as many civilian casualties and capture as many hostages as possible.[41][42] Hamas had meticulously planned to commit a massacre of Israeli civilians of such proportions, that Israel would be forced to react with a massive invasion of Gaza.[20] This was preceded by years of deception, signalling to the Israelis that Hamas was no longer interested in a military conflict.[20]

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, in the weeks before the attack, 500 members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad attended combat training in Iran led by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and attended by its Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani.[43] The Journal also reported that at a meeting in Beirut on 2 October, five days before the attack, Iranian security officials "gave the green light" for the attack. US officials pushed back against the Journal's reporting, stating that its intelligence did not show a direct link between the attack and Iranian officials, while pointing out that Iran had supported Hamas for a long time.[43]

In early September 2023, Israel decided a ban of exports of commercial goods from Gaza for several days due to attempts to smuggle explosives, the Palestinians said that the ban affected thousands of families. Later, on mid September, Israeli authorities found 16 tons of material used for rocket production in a shipment which headed to Gaza from Turkey, Hamas said that Israel was lying.[44]

Gaza tunnels

The tunnel network, known euphemistically as the "Gaza metro", serves Hamas for storage, movement, and command. Hamas used hardwired phone lines within the tunnels for covert communication over two years, evading Israeli intelligence. This allowed a successful surprise attack on Israel, with specific plans disclosed shortly before the operation, catching intelligence agencies off guard.[45]

Israel has targeted tunnels used by Hamas in its campaign against the group in various locations, including Beit Hanoun, Gaza City, and Rafah, where they were used for smuggling. Cross-border tunnels have been used in high-profile operations. The construction of these tunnels was a significant, multi-year effort involving Palestinian workers. [46]

Bedouin clans built early smuggling tunnels on the Egypt-Gaza border in 1981. In 2001, Hamas began a vast underground network initially for smuggling, later serving multiple functions. The tunnels aimed to shift battles underground. In 2014, Hamas employed 900 for tunnel construction, each taking three months and costing an average of $100,000. Funding came from commercial schemes via Gaza's mosques, with contributions from Iran and North Korea.[47]

Timeline

Rocket barrages and drone strikes

Aftermath of a rocket attack in Rishon LeZion

At around 6:30 a.m. Israel Summer Time (UTC+3) on Saturday 7 October 2023,[48] Hamas announced the start of the operation, 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.[25][49][28][50] Explosions were reported in areas surrounding the Strip and in cities in the Sharon Plain including Gedera, Herzliyya,[5] Tel Aviv, and Ashkelon.[50] Air raid sirens were also activated in Beer Sheva, Jerusalem, Rehovot, Rishon Lezion, and Palmachim Airbase.[51][52][53] Hamas issued a call to arms, with senior military commander Mohammad Deif calling on "Muslims everywhere to launch an attack".[28]

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.[51] 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.[49]

Incursions into Southern Israel

Approximate situation on 7–8 October

Simultaneously, around 2,900[54] Palestinian militants infiltrated Israel from Gaza using trucks, pickup trucks, motorcycles, bulldozers, speedboats and powered paragliders.[55][48][56] Images and videos appeared to show heavily armed and masked militants dressed in black fatigues riding pickup trucks[50][53] and opening fire in Sderot, killing dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers and setting homes on fire.[57] Other videos appeared to show Israelis taken prisoner and a burning Israeli tank,[58][28] as well as militants driving Israeli military vehicles.[50] Israeli first responders reportedly recovered documents from the bodies of killed militants, with instructions to attack civilian populations, including elementary schools and a youth center, to "kill as many people as possible", and to take hostages for use in future negotiations.[59][41][60][61] Some of the militants wore body cameras to record the acts, presumably for propaganda purposes.[62]

Initial reports

The morning of the attack, an Israeli military spokesman stated that the militants from Gaza had entered Israel through at least seven locations[55] and invaded four small rural Israeli communities, the border city of Sderot, and two military bases from both land and sea.[56] Israeli media reported that seven communities came under Hamas control, including Nahal Oz, Kfar Aza, Magen, Be'eri, and Sufa.[63] The Erez Crossing was reported to have come under Hamas control, enabling the militants to enter Israel from Gaza.[49] Israeli Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said that there were 21 active high-confrontation locations in southern Israel.[64]

At 10:00 am, less than five hours after the attacks began, fighting was reported at Re'im military base, headquarters of the Gaza Division.[65][66] It was later reported that Hamas took control of the base and had taken several Israeli soldiers captive[65] before the IDF regained control later in the day.[67][68] The base was reportedly the location of IDF drone and surveillance operations. Hamas reportedly posted video of dead Israeli soldiers it had killed at the base.[69] The police station of Sderot was reported to have come under Hamas control, with militants killing 30 Israelis, including policemen and civilians.[51][70]

Further attacks on October 7

Killing of civilians in kibbutz Mefalsim. Warning - graphic content

Starting at 6.30 a.m. on the same morning, a massacre unfolded at an outdoor music festival near Re'im, resulting in at least 270 dead, and many others missing. 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.[71][72][73] Militants killed civilians at Nir Oz,[53][74] Be'eri, and Netiv HaAsara, where they took hostages[75][76] and set fire to homes,[5] as well as in kibbutzim around the Gaza Strip.[5] 200 civilians were killed in the Kfar Aza massacre, 108 in the Be'eri massacre, and 15 people in the Netiv HaAsara massacre.[77][78] Sixteen or seventeen foreign Thai and Nepalese employees were killed by militants during the Kibbutz Alumim massacre.[79][80]

Nir Am was attacked but no residents were harmed. Inbal Rabin-Lieberman, the 25-year-old security coordinator, alongside her uncle Ami, led a guard detail that killed multiple militants attempting to infiltrate a nearby chicken farm. They successfully deterred the rest of the invading militants from entering the community.[81][82][83]

Other Hamas militants carried out an amphibious landing in Zikim.[50][84] Palestinian sources claim that the local Israeli army base was stormed.[85] 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.[86]

Hostages taken

In Be'eri, up to 50 people were taken hostage; after an 18-hour stand-off between militants and IDF forces, they were freed.[87] Hostages were also reported to have been taken in Ofakim, where policemen led by Chief Superintendent Jayar Davidov engaged Palestinian militants in a shootout;[when?] Davidov and three of his men were killed, and two Israeli hostages were later rescued by the IDF in the suburb of Urim.[87] There were reports of militants killing or kidnapping family pets.[88]

Hamas took many hostages back to Gaza. On 16 October, it claimed it held 250 hostages.[89] Hamas said it took "prisoners" to force Israel to release its Palestinian prisoners.[90]

According to Ariel Merari, "[the raiders] were ordered to kidnap as many [people] as possible... [and] they intentionally kidnapped a populace that is sensitive from the aspect of Israeli public opinion".[91] Merari doubts that Hamas will never agree to releasing all of the hostages in "one go" regardless of how many of its prisoners are released, since the hostages are its only guarantee against complete destruction at the hands of Israeli.[91] He instead believes that it will try to force a ceasefire and protract the release for weeks and even months, until an Israeli offensive is no longer seen as viable.[91]

Participating and supporting organizations

In addition to Hamas, several Palestinian militant 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,[92] saying it had lost three fighters in combat with the IDF.[93] 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.[94][95]

Casualties

Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, met with the families of the kidnapped and missing persons held by the Hamas

The day is considered the bloodiest in Israel's history and the deadliest for Jews since The Holocaust.[33][34]

Around 1,200 Israelis and foreigners were killed,[96] which included nearly 845 civilians, 278 soldiers, 57 policemen[17] and 10 Shin Bet members.[8] The attack left over 3,400 wounded,[97] and 247 soldiers and civilians taken hostage.[18] On 19 October 2023, Israeli officials reported an additional 100 to 200 missing.[19] Israeli casualties include about 70 Arab Israelis, predominantly from Negev Bedouin communities.[98][99][100][101] On 7 October, over 100 civilians were killed in the Be'eri massacre, including women and children; and over 270 attendees were killed at a music festival in Re'im.[71] As of 10 October, over 100 people had been reported killed in the Kfar Aza massacre, with the total death toll unknown.[102] Nine people were fatally shot at a bus shelter in Sderot.[55] At least four people were reported killed in Kuseife.[49] At least 400 casualties were reported in Ashkelon,[103][53] while 280 others were reported in Beer Sheva, 60 of which were in a serious condition.[55] In the north, injuries from rocket attacks were reported in Tel Aviv.[104]

Former Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. striker Lior Asulin was among those killed in the Re'im music festival massacre.[105] The head of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, Ofir Libstein, was killed in an exchange of fire with the militants.[106] The police commander of Rahat, Jayar Davidov, was also killed.[107] The IDF confirmed that 247 of its soldiers had been killed.[108] 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;[109][110] and Lieutenant Colonel Eli Ginsberg, commander of the LOTAR Counter-terrorism Unit School.[111] The Druze deputy commander of the 300th "Baram" Regional Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Alim Abdallah, was killed in action along with two other soldiers while responding to an infiltration from southern Lebanon on 9 October.[112]

The great number and geographical spread of the victims made locating all of their remains difficult. Several weeks after the massacre, once conventional search techniques have been exhausted, the IDF approached the Israel Nature and Parks Authority for help in tracking the flight paths of vultures, which resulted in the discovery of at least five more bodies.[113] The IDF also enlisted the aid of archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority, to help recover remains that were so badly burned, they were indistinguishable from the surrounding rubble; the remains of at least ten victims have been recovered this way.[114][115]

At least 247 Israelis were taken hostage by Hamas and transported to the Gaza Strip.[18] On 8 October, Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed to be holding at least 30 captives.[116] At least four people were reportedly taken from Kfar Aza.[117] Videos from Gaza appeared to show captured people, with Gazan residents cheering trucks carrying dead bodies.[56] Four captives were later reported to have been killed in Be'eri,[118] while Hamas claimed that an IDF airstrike on Gaza on 9 October killed four captives.[119] Among those believed to have been abducted was Vivian Silver, a peace activist and former board member of the human rights organisation B'Tselem, who went missing following the attack on Be'eri.[120] Yedioth Ahronoth photographer Roy Edan was reported missing and likely captured alongside his child in Kfar Aza. His wife was killed and two of their children were able to hide in a closet until rescued.[121] Edan's body was identified ten days later as one of the casualties of the Kfar Aza massacre.[122] On 11 October, Hamas's Qassam Brigades released a video appearing to show the release of three hostages, namely an adult woman and two children, in an open area near a fence. Israel dismissed the video as "theatrics".[123]

Torture and mutilation

Dead bodies in Be'eri

Israeli forces in Kfar Aza and Be'eri[124] reported that they found bodies of victims mutilated. One IDF commander told a reporter from i24 News that 40 babies had been killed, out of what one estimate described as at least 100 civilian victims.[125][102][126][127][128][129]

According to Yossi Landau, regional head of the ZAKA volunteer emergency response organization, tactics displayed were severe compared to past Hamas actions, with bodies showing signs of torture and extreme violence. At one kibbutz, first responders stated that of 280 bodies recovered, around 80% showed evidence of torture. Groups of children were allegedly found tied up and burned alive. At the music festival, there was said to be mass killing but less time for torture compared to the kibbutz. Approximately 70% of bodies were claimed to have been shot in the back.[130] Graeme Wood reported that the video footage retrieved from body cameras worn by the attackers showed several victims who "in the beginning of the footage... are alive, [and] by the end they're dead. Sometimes, in fact frequently, after their death their bodies are still being desecrated."[131] Other videos show attackers shooting at children, executing men in civilian clothing, throwing grenades into civilian shelters, and decapitations.[132][133][134]

First response personnel recovering the bodies reported being extremely distressed by the sight of atrocities they witnessed. The remains of Hamas militants were also handled and collected respectfully, despite the psychological difficulty for the responders in doing so given their actions.[130]

Israeli security agencies released videos that the Times of Israel described as "apparent interrogations" of Hamas attackers, in which the subjects said they were ordered to kill, behead, cut off limbs and rape.[135] A former chief rabbi of the Israeli army, part of the team identifying bodies, said that there were many instances of rape and torture, and an Israeli reserve warrant officer said that forensic exams had shown multiple cases of rape. Evidence, including photos or medical records of the forensic results, was not provided at that interview.[136] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's description of evidence included "A baby, an infant, riddled with bullets. Soldiers beheaded. Young people burned alive. I could go on, but it's simply depravity in the worst imaginable way."[137]

Identification of remains

According to Dr. Chen Kugel, head of the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, hundreds of bodies arrived at the institute at a state that was "beyond recognition".[138] Pathologists were required to process, among others, bone fragments recovered from fires; a blood-soaked baby mattress; victims who were tied, then executed; and two victims who were tied, then incinerated alive.[138]

With hundreds missing and bodies burnt beyond recognition, Israeli authorities assembled recovery teams from across society. This included archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority. The team used their specialized skills in excavating and identifying fragmentary ancient remains to sift through ash and rubble for bone fragments overlooked by other forensic teams.[139]

The sheer number of casualties overwhelmed authorities. Bodies were brought chaotically to the Shura IDF base and Abu Kabir forensic institute. The different military, police, and civilian teams caused confusion. Archeologists systematically searched rooms, dividing them into grids and carefully extracting bone shards. At one house, the archeology team found a bloodstain under ash that they determined was the outline of a body, later identified through DNA analysis as Meni Godard .[139]

Seized supplies and documents

The IDF has reported seizing over 10,000 weapons following the attack. The arsenal included RPGs, mines, sniper rifles, drones, thermobaric rockets, and other advanced weapons. According to Israeli sources, documents and maps seized from Hamas militants indicated that Hamas intended a coordinated month-long operation to invade and occupy Israeli towns, cities, and kibbutzim, including attacking Ashkelon by sea and reaching Kiryat Gat, 20 miles into Israel. The scale of weapons, supplies and plans indicated, according to Israel, that Hamas intended to inflict mass casualties on Israeli civilians and military forces over an extended period.[140][141] Western and Middle Eastern security officials gathered evidence suggesting that Hamas intended to invade as far as the West Bank, had the initial attack been more successful.[142]

Reactions

Israeli response

Posters calling for the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant conducted security assessments at Israel Defense Forces (IDF) headquarters in Tel Aviv.[53][50] Gallant later approved the mobilisation of tens of thousands of army reservists[48][50] and declared a state of emergency for areas within 80 kilometers (50 mi) of the Gaza border.[63] He also said that Hamas "made a grave mistake" in launching its attack and pledged that "Israel will win".[55] The IDF declared a "state of readiness for war".[49] 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.[143] 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".[50] Roads around the Gaza Strip were closed by the IDF.[55] The streets of Tel Aviv were also locked down.[50]

Following the assault, Israel declared a heightened state of preparedness for potential conflict.[144] 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 Swords of Iron (or Iron Swords) (Hebrew: מבצע חרבות ברזל, romanizedMivtsá charvót barzél).[145][146][147][49] Israeli Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai announced that a "state of war" existed, following what he called "a massive attack from the Gaza Strip".[148] 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.[64] The IDF's chief spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said four divisions were deployed to the area, augmenting 31 preexisting battalions.[55]

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.[53] In a televised broadcast, Netanyahu stated: "We are at war."[56] He also said that the IDF would reinforce its border deployments to deter others from 'making the mistake of joining this war'.[149] In a later address, he threatened to "turn Gaza into a deserted island", and urged its residents to "leave now".[150][disputed ]

On 7 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.[151] The Israel Electric Corporation, which supplies up to 80% of the Gaza Strip's electricity, cut off power to the area.[50] 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.[152]

Hamas response

Khaled Mashal lauded the "ingenious" Hamas attack, referring to it as legitimate resistance to Israeli occupation. He said "We know very well the consequences of our operation on Oct. 7", emphasizing that Palestinian lives must be sacrificed in the quest for liberation.[153] Ghazi Hamad of Hamas's political bureau has asserted that Hamas is only the first in a series of attacks that will continue until Israel is destroyed, declaring, "will do this again and again". He further emphasized the organization's willingness to "pay a price", concluding with a call for the elimination of Israel, stating, "We must remove that country because it constitutes a security, military and political catastrophe to the Arab and Islamic nations".[154][155]

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior member of Hamas, said the action was necessary to "change the entire equation and not just have a clash... We succeeded in putting the Palestinian issue back on the table, and now no one in the region is experiencing calm."[156] Taher El-Nounou, a Hamas media adviser, said that he "[hopes] that the state of war with Israel will become permanent on all the borders, and that the Arab world will stand with [Hamas]".[156]

Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas official, stated on an interview, "We must teach Israel a lesson, and we will do this again and again. The Al-Aqsa Flood is just the first time, and there will be a second, a third, a fourth. Because we have the determination...to fight."[157] These comments came after an incident where Hamad abruptly left a BBC interview when asked about Hamas's killing of civilians in Israel on October 7.[157]

Palestinian Authority response

On the eve of the Hamas attack at the emergency meeting in Ramallah, The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves against the terror of settlers and occupation troops.[158] According to Palestinian government agency WAFA, the President Abbas also ordered the government and relevant authorities to immediately send all available resources to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip under an Israeli aggression.[159]

International

At least 44 nations, mostly Western, denounced Hamas and explicitly condemned its conduct as terrorism, including a joint statement by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany. In contrast, Arab and Muslim countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, Iran and Iraq have blamed Israel for the attack. The UAE, Bahrain, and China have all amended their initial declarations to expressly denounce the killing and abduction of Israeli civilians.[30][31][32]

Over 680 legal experts and 128 human rights experts from Israel and around the world have signed an appeal for the immediate release of all hostages kidnapped by Hamas, and for the end of the "vicious and inhumane capture, violence, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of women and girls, children and infants." According to the appeal, "the abductees are defined according to international law as victims of enforced disappearance... [which makes these acts] blatant violations of international human rights law and humanitarian law, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity."[160]

Denial of atrocities

Hamas denied it killed any civilians, including children in the attack.[161] Hamas official announcement referring to the event, rejected the "falsehood of the fabricated allegations" promoted by some Western media outlets, which unprofessionally adopt the "Zionist narrative full of lies and slander against our Palestinian people and their resistance, the latest of which was the claim of killing children, beheading them, and targeting civilians".[161] When asked about the Re'im music festival massacre, where 260 civilians were murdered, Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk replied that it was a "coincidence", and that the attackers may have thought these were soldiers "resting".[162]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Per Israel[11]
  2. ^ Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, Paraguay, the United Kingdom, and the United States
  3. ^ The expression "7/10" is pronounced "seven ten". The slash is not part of the pronunciation.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e From the United Nations:
    • United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) (9 October 2023). "Fact Sheet: Israel and Palestine Conflict (9 October 2023)" (Press release). ReliefWeb. United Nations (UN). Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023. On Saturday, 7 October — a Jewish sabbath day, the end of the weeklong Jewish festival of Sukkot, and a day after the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War — Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups launched Operation al-Aqsa Flood, a coordinated assault consisting of land and air attacks into multiple border areas of Israel.
    • United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (7 October 2023). "UNRWA Situation Report #1 on the Situation in the Gaza Strip" (Situation Report). United Nations. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023. At 06:30 on the morning of 7 October 2023, Hamas launched "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" with more than 5,000 rockets reportedly fired towards Israel from multiple locations in Gaza, as well as ground operation into Israel.
    • United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) (20 October 2023). "Fact Sheet: Israel and Palestine Conflict (19 October 2023)" (Press release). ReliefWeb. United Nations. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023. On Saturday, 7 October...Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups launched Operation al-Aqsa Flood, a coordinated assault consisting of land and air attacks into multiple border areas of Israel.
  2. ^ "الجبهة الشعبية: قرار الإدارة الأمريكية بتوفير الدعم للكيان هدفه تطويق النتائج الاستراتيجية لمعركة طوفان الأقصى" [Popular Front: The US Administration's Decision to Provide Support to the Entity [Israel] Aims to Contain the Strategic Outcomes of the Battle of the Al-Aqsa Flood]. alahednews.com.lb (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Al-Qassam fighters engage IOF on seven fronts outside Gaza: Statement". Al Mayadeen English. 8 October 2023. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Qassam Brigades announces control of 'Erez Crossing'". Roya News. 7 October 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d "Netanyahu: 'We are at war'". Ynetnews. 7 October 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Palestinian Al Quds Brigades claim responsibility for attack at Lebanon-Israel border". Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Hamide Rencüs: İsrail ilk defa Gazze sınırındaki kontrolü kaybetmiş durumda" [Hamide Rencüs: Israel has lost control over the Gaza border for the first time]. bianet.org (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e Fabian, Emanuel. "Authorities name 307 soldiers, 58 police officers killed in 2023 terror clashes". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  9. ^ Duro, Israel. "Heroes of Israel: Armed members of several kibbutzim managed to fight off terrorists". VOZ. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  10. ^ Ghert-Zand, Enee. "Young dad of 6 absorbed blast to protect family in attack on Kerem Shalom". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  11. ^ a b Fabian, Emanuel; Pacchiani, Gianluca (1 November 2023). "IDF estimates 3,000 Hamas terrorists invaded Israel in Oct. 7 onslaught". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Israel killed at least 1,000 Gaza infiltrators, reinforcing nationwide, military says". Reuters. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Israel revises Hamas attack death toll to 'around 1,200'". Reuters. 10 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Israel revises down toll from October 7 attack to 'around 1,200'". Al Jazeera. 10 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023.
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External links