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Embassy of the United States, Jerusalem Article Talk Read View source View history Tools Coordinates: 31°44′52″N 35°13′29″E Extended-protected article From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Embassy of the United States, Jerusalem MapWikimedia | © OpenStreetMap Location Jerusalem, Israel Address 14 David Flusser Street Coordinates 31°44′52″N 35°13′29″E Ambassador Stephanie L. Hallett (Chargé d’Affaires ad interim) Website il.usembassy.gov The Embassy of the United States of America in Jerusalem is the diplomatic mission of the United States of America to the State of Israel, located in the Talpiot neighborhood of Jerusalem. In mid-October 2018, the United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the embassy in Jerusalem would be merging with the US Consulate-General in Jerusalem into a single mission. Relations with the Palestinians would still be conducted through the special Office of Palestine Affairs inside the Embassy.[1][2] History Background The Embassy opened at its Jerusalem location on May 14, 2018, the 70th Gregorian anniversary of the creation of the modern State of Israel.[3] It was relocated from its previous site in Tel Aviv by the Trump Administration and is situated in what was previously the former US Consulate in the Arnona neighborhood.[4] The opening prayer was delivered by the Evangelical Reverend Robert Jeffress, and the closing prayer was given by the Evangelical Reverend John C. Hagee.[5][6][7] The move came 23 years after the passage of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of October 23, 1995, which set a deadline of May 31, 1999, for the move.[8] The Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations had all deferred the move. Eugene Kontorovich claimed that the decision to shift the US embassy to this area is tantamount to the United States recognizing Israeli sovereignty over land that it captured in the Six-Day War in 1967.[9] However, despite the move of the Embassy to Jerusalem, President Trump signed on June 4, 2018 an executive order postponing the move of the Embassy to Jerusalem, although it already moved to that city. He was required to sign the order since the Jerusalem Embassy Act requires the US Ambassador to have a permanent residence in Jerusalem, a condition not yet fulfilled.[10] Impact of move Benjamin Netanyahu, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump attending the opening of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem See also: United Nations General Assembly resolution ES-10/L.22 On December 18, 2017, in a 14–1 vote, the US vetoed a United Nations Security Council draft resolution on the matter[11] then on December 21, 2017 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution by a 128–9 vote.[12] Palestinian officials warned that it could lead to an "inactive war" and violent protests.[13] The Embassy's opening coincided with the bloodiest day of the 2018 Gaza border protests, with more than 57 Palestinians killed.[14][15] French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian said, "This decision contravenes international law and in particular the resolutions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly".[14] On September 28, 2018, Palestine brought a case against the US at the International Court of Justice alleging that the relocation of the embassy breached the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and other rules of general international law. The International Court of Justice asked for briefs covering jurisdiction and admissibility, Palestine's submission by May 15, 2019, the US by November 15, 2019.[16] The opening of a new US Embassy in Jerusalem led two other countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem. Two days after the US Embassy opened, Guatemala moved its embassy to Israel back to Jerusalem.[17] Paraguay also opened a Jerusalem embassy to Israel, citing the US precedent.[18] Newly elected Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez decided to relocate the Paraguayan embassy back to Tel Aviv.[19] Merger with the US Consulate-General On October 18, 2018, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the US would be merging the Embassy and US Consulate General in Jerusalem into a single mission. The United States will continue conducting relations with the West Bank and Gaza through a newly-created Palestinian Affairs Unit which will operate from the Agron Site of the Jerusalem Embassy.[1] While the decision was praised by the Israeli Government, Palestinian officials criticized the Trump Administration for siding with Israel's claim to Jerusalem and "Greater Israel".[20][21][22][23] In February 2019, it was announced that the US Consulate General would be formally merging into the US Embassy in March.[24][25][26] On March 4, 2019, the US Consulate-General was formally integrated into the US Embassy in Jerusalem. The Consulate-General's Agron Street premises will be revamped as the Palestinian Affairs Unit, which will handle many of the Consulate-General's former functions. This ends the US practice of assigning separate diplomatic missions to the Israelis and Palestinians.[27][28][29][30] In response, Saeb Erekat, the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee called for the international community to boycott the new Palestinian Affairs Unit.[31][32][33] Erekat's sentiments were echoed by fellow Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi, who denounced the merger of the Consulate General as "political assault on Palestinian rights and identity".[34] Ashrawi's visa request to the United States was subsequently denied.[35][improper synthesis?] International Court of Justice case — Palestine v. United States of America Main article: Status of Jerusalem § ICJ case — Palestine v. United States of America In September 2018, the State of Palestine initiated an action in the International Court of Justice, in the case Palestine v. United States of America (officially titled Relocation of the United States Embassy to Jerusalem), in which Palestine charges the US with violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, arguing the Convention requires that "the diplomatic mission of a sending State must be established on the territory of the receiving State." The Palestinian application argues that in international law Jerusalem cannot be considered to be the territory of the State of Israel because under General Assembly Resolution 181 of 1947 (the Partition Plan) Jerusalem was to have been placed under international governance, which thus precludes it from being considered under the sovereignty of any State.[36] The case also involves the question of the statehood of Palestine, as under the Statute of the International Court of Justice "only States may be parties in cases before the Court." The US has refused to participate in a meeting at the Court and has not submitted its legal brief. Palestine has submitted its brief, which as of August 2020 has not been made public.[36] Location See also: United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel The United States Embassy is located in what was previously the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem's Arnona neighborhood.[4] The space houses the ambassador and a 50-member staff. The ambassador splits his time between the US Embassy in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv Embassy Branch Office, where many diplomatic functions are still be conducted. Most consular functions of the former consulate were subsumed under embassy authority.[4][37][38][39] The embassy straddles the 1949–67 Armistice line in Jerusalem, located partially in West Jerusalem and partially in no man's land.[40][9] A senior United Nations official stated: "Under international law it is still occupied territory, because neither party had any right to occupy the area between the lines".[40] At a briefing on 18 January, Ned Price, Department Spokesperson for the Department of State, said the US is considering two options for the embassy facility, the Allenby site and the Arnona site, but that no decision has been made. Price was responding in relation to recent reports that the embassy was to be built on "land illegally expropriated from Palestinians".[41][42][43] United States Office of Palestine Affairs For more see above under Merger with the US Consulate-General. The former US Consulate General in Jerusalem's Agron Street premises has been repurposed as the US Embassy Palestinian Affairs Unit, which is responsible for conducting a range of reporting, outreach and programming in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and with Palestinians in Jerusalem.[27][44] Senior Foreign Service Officer Mike Hankey, who is fluent in Arabic and French, has been designated as the first Head of the Palestinian Affairs Unit.[45] In June 2022, the Palestinian Affairs Unit was re-designated as the U.S. Office of Palestine Affairs. While this office is still considered part of the US Embassy in Jerusalem, it reports directly to the State Department, signifying an upgrade to the state of US-Palestinian bilateral relations.[2] It is headed Senior Foreign Service Officer George Noll, who had served as the head of the Palestinian Affairs Unit since August 2020.[46] At the end of November 2022, the US reiterated a promise, after 2 years of delay, to reopen the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem.[47] As of January 2023, the Biden administration has not met this pledge.[48] See also flag United States portal flag Israel portal Consulate General of the United States, Jerusalem Tel Aviv Branch Office of the Embassy of the United States Israel–United States relations Palestine–United States relations List of diplomatic missions of the United States References Pompeo, Mike. "On the Merging of U.S. Embassy Jerusalem and U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem". U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem. Archived from the original on February 11, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2018. "US Palestinian mission renamed and now reports directly to Washington". The Guardian. Reuters. June 9, 2022. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023. "Editorial: On the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Israel, its people would do well to reflect on the peaceful spirit of the agreement". The Independent. London, England: Independent Print Ltd. May 12, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2018. "US consulate general in Jerusalem merges with embassy". BBC News. March 4, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2021. Shatz, Adam (August 30, 2018). "The sea is the same sea". London Review of Books. Vol. 40, no. 16. pp. 24–28. Retrieved October 21, 2018. Haag, Matthew (May 14, 2018). "Robert Jeffress, Pastor Who Said Jews Are Going to Hell, Led Prayer at Jerusalem Embassy". The New York Times. Retrieved October 21, 2018. Harkov, Lahav (May 14, 2018). "Pastor at Jerusalem Embassy event said Jews, Mormons, Muslims going to Hell". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved October 21, 2018. Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 104–45 (text) (PDF), November 8, 1995, 109 Stat. 398. Kershner, Isabel (March 7, 2018). "New U.S. Embassy May Be in Jerusalem, but Not in Israel Image". The New York Times. Retrieved October 21, 2018. Diamond, Jeremy (June 5, 2018). "Trump again signs embassy waiver despite move to Jerusalem". CNN. Retrieved October 21, 2018. "Egypt, draft resolution". UN. December 18, 2017. "UN briefings: the Security Council vote on Jerusalem". UNA-UK. January 23, 2018. "Impact of moving U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem". CBS News. Retrieved May 15, 2018. Wagner, Meg; Ries, Brian (May 14, 2018). "Dozens die in Gaza as US Embassy opens: Live updates". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia. Retrieved May 15, 2018. Holmes, Oliver; Balousha, Hazem (May 15, 2018). "Palestinians to bury 58 people killed in US embassy protests". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved May 15, 2018. "Palestine Brings a Case Against the United States in the International Court of Justice at a Fraught Time for U.S.-Palestinian Relations". American Journal of International Law. Cambridge University Press. 113 (1): 143–149. January 14, 2019. doi:10.1017/ajil.2018.112. S2CID 150528568. TOI staff and Raphael Ahern (May 15, 2018). "Guatemala set to open Jerusalem embassy, days after US". Times of Israel. Raphael Ahern (May 21, 2018). "Paraguay becomes third country to open embassy in Jerusalem". Times of Israel. Retrieved May 21, 2018. Pedro Servin (September 5, 2018). "Paraguay moves Israel embassy back out of Jerusalem". AP News. Retrieved May 15, 2019. "U.S. to merge Jerusalem consulate in to new embassy". Reuters. October 19, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2018. Holmes, Oliver (October 18, 2018). "US downgrades consulate for Palestinians into Israel embassy unit". The Guardian. Retrieved October 21, 2018. "Erekat slams US' decision to merge US Jerusalem consulate and embassy". Wafa. October 18, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2018. Wilner, Michael (October 18, 2018). "U.S. merges Jerusalem embassy and consulate". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved October 21, 2018. "US Palestinian mission to merge with Israeli embassy next month". Ynetnews. February 19, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019. "U.S. Palestinian mission to merge with Israel embassy in March". Euronews. Reuters. February 19, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019. Correll, Diana (February 19, 2019). "US Palestinian mission, Israeli embassy to merge in March". Washington Examiner. Retrieved February 19, 2019. Palladino, Robert (March 4, 2019). "Merger of U.S. Embassy Jerusalem and U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem". U.S. Embassy in Israel. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019. "US closes Jerusalem consulate, demoting Palestinian mission". Times of Israel. Associated Press. March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019. Hansler, Jennifer (March 4, 2019). "US Consulate in Jerusalem will merge with embassy". CNN. Retrieved March 4, 2019. Keinon, Herb; Lazaroff, Tovah (March 4, 2019). "US Consulate for Palestinians to be merged with Embassy Monday". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved March 4, 2019. "Palestinians call on diplomats to boycott US embassy in Jerusalem". Middle East Monitor. March 8, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019. "Palestinian negotiator calls for boycott of new US embassy unit". Times of Israel. Associated Press. March 7, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019. Benari, Elad (March 8, 2019). "Erekat calls for boycott of US Embassy in Jerusalem". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved March 10, 2019. US consulate general in Jerusalem merges with embassy, BBC, 4 March 2019 PALESTINIAN ACTIVISTS DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY CAN'T ENTER THE US, JTA (JPost reprint), 16 May 2019 Nathaniel Berman, 'Jerusalem before the International Courts: Utopias 2020' Wilner, Michael (February 23, 2018). "U.S. Confirms Jerusalem Embassy Opening in May". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved February 24, 2018. Nauert, Heather. "Opening of U.S. Embassy Jerusalem". United States Department of State. Retrieved February 25, 2018. Schneider, Tal; Zerachovitz, Omri; Barkat, Amiram (May 14, 2018). "US Jerusalem embassy opening starts long process". Globes. Retrieved May 14, 2018. Farrell, Stephen; Lubell, Maayan (May 15, 2018). "U.S. Jerusalem embassy lies 'at the end of the world'". Reuters. Retrieved October 21, 2018. "Department Press Briefing – January 18, 2023". state.gov. January 18, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023. Speri, Alice (December 15, 2022). "Biden Moves Ahead on Trump Plan to Build Israel Embassy on Stolen Palestinian Land". The Intercept. Retrieved February 9, 2023. Khalidi, Rashid (January 15, 2023). "Opinion | Will the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem be Built on Confiscated Palestinian Land?". The New York Times. "Homepage". U.S. Office of Palestine Affairs. Retrieved January 10, 2022. "Mike Hankey". U.S. Embassy in Israel. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019. "Chief of the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs George Noll". U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023. Magid, Jacob. "US insists it's still committed to reopening Jerusalem consulate, but few convinced". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved February 9, 2023. "Biden faces Israel quandary with new Netanyahu government". Associated Press. January 7, 2023. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Embassy of the United States in Jerusalem. Official website vte Israel Diplomatic missions in Israel Americas United States1 JerusalemTel AvivGuatemala1Honduras1 Asia Japan [ja]2 Ramallah [ja]IndiaPhilippines2Taiwan3United Arab Emirates2 Europe Estonia [et]2France [fr]2Germany2Kosovo1Holy See2Poland2Slovenia [sl]2 Haifa [sl]Ukraine [uk]2United Kingdom2 Oceania Australia2Papua New Guinea1 1 Embassy which is located at Jerusalem. / 2 Embassy or Apostolic Nunciature which is located at Tel Aviv. / 3 No diplomatic relations with Taiwan, functions as an informal diplomatic mission. vte Diplomatic missions of the United States Embassies are the main entries, while consulates-general are shown as sub-entries for each country. A full list can be found at List of diplomatic missions of the United States. 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Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata International VIAF National IsraelUnited States Categories: Diplomatic missions of the United StatesDiplomatic missions in JerusalemIsrael–United States relationsState of Palestine–United States relations2018 establishments in Israel Donald Trump president of United States Also known as: Donald John Trump Written by Fact-checked by Last Updated: Oct 25, 2023 • Article History Donald Trump Donald Trump See all media Category: History & Society In Full: Donald John Trump Born: June 14, 1946, New York, New York, U.S. (age 77) Title / Office: presidency of the United States of America (2017-2021), United States Political Affiliation: Republican Party Notable Works: “Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again” “The America We Deserve” “Trump: The Art of the Deal” Notable Family Members: spouse Melania Trump daughter Ivanka Trump son Donald Trump, Jr. son of Frederick Christ Trump son of Mary MacLeod husband of Melania Trump (January 22, 2005–present) husband of Marla Maples (December 20, 1993–June 8, 1999) husband of Ivana Trump (April 9, 1977–March 22, 1992) father of Donald Trump, Jr. (b. 1977) father of Ivanka Trump (b. 1981) father of Eric Trump (b. 1984) father of Tiffany Trump (b. 1993) father of Barron Trump (b. 2006) brother of Maryanne Trump Barry brother of Frederick Trump, Jr. brother of Elizabeth Trump Grau brother of Robert Trump Recent News Oct. 25, 2023, 1:32 PM ET (AP) Trump's remark outside court draws judge's notice as Cohen returns to the stand in the fraud trial Oct. 25, 2023, 1:15 PM ET (AP) Mike Johnson picks up support from Trump for House speaker as Republicans move to yet another vote Donald Trump, in full Donald John Trump, (born June 14, 1946, New York, New York, U.S.), 45th president of the United States (2017–21). Trump was a real estate developer and businessman who owned, managed, or licensed his name to hotels, casinos, golf courses, resorts, and residential properties in the New York City area and around the world. From the 1980s Trump also lent his name to scores of retail ventures—including branded lines of clothing, cologne, food, and furniture—and to Trump University, which offered seminars in real estate education from 2005 to 2010. In the early 21st century his private conglomerate, the Trump Organization, comprised some 500 companies involved in a wide range of businesses, including hotels and resorts, residential properties, merchandise, and entertainment and television. Trump was the third president in U.S. history (after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998) to be impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives and the only president to be impeached twice—once (in 2019) for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in connection with the Ukraine scandal and once (in 2021) for “incitement of insurrection” in connection with the storming of the United States Capitol by a violent mob of Trump supporters as Congress met in joint session to ceremonially count electoral college votes from the 2020 presidential election. Both of Trump’s impeachments ended in his acquittal by the U.S. Senate. Trump lost the 2020 election to former vice president Joe Biden by 306 electoral votes to 232; he lost the popular vote by more than seven million votes. In March 2023 Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on state criminal charges related to a hush-money payment made in 2016 to adult-film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed to have had an affair with Trump in 2006 (see below Postpresidential activities). The indictment marked the first time in U.S. history that a former president was charged with a crime. In June 2023 Trump was indicted by a grand jury in Miami on federal criminal charges related to his removal of classified documents from the White House upon leaving office and his retention of them at Mar-a-Lago, his resort and residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The indictment marked the first time in U.S. history that a former president was charged with a federal crime. In August 2023 Trump was indicted by a grand jury in Washington, D.C., on federal criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The indictment charged him with obstruction of an official proceeding and three counts of conspiracy—conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, to defraud the United States, and to impede the free exercise of the right to vote and to have one’s vote counted. Later that month, Trump and 18 of his associates were indicted by a grand jury in Fulton county, Georgia, on criminal charges related to Trump’s efforts to reverse Biden’s electoral victory in the state. 2023 Israel–Hamas war Article Talk Read View source View history Tools Page extended-protected From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Graphic of a globe with a red analog clock This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. Feel free to improve this article or discuss changes on the talk page, but please note that updates without valid and reliable references will be removed. (October 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) 2023 Israel–Hamas war Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict Gaza Strip Evacuated areas inside Israel Maximum extent of Hamas invasion Areas inside Gaza Strip ordered to be evacuated by Israel See here for a more comprehensive map. Date 7 October 2023 – present (2 weeks and 4 days) Location Israel, Palestinian territories, Lebanon[5] and Syria[7] Status Ongoing Palestinian militants break through the Gaza–Israel barrier and invade Israel's Southern District 224 Israeli and foreign hostages taken by Palestinian militants Israeli military carries out airstrikes in the Gaza Strip and imposes a total blockade Israel orders the evacuation of northern Gaza including Gaza City and large parts of northern and southern Israel. Belligerents Hamas[1] Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)[2] Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)[3] Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP)[4] Hezbollah[5] State of Palestine al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades[6] Israel[1] Commanders and leaders Hamas Ismail Haniyeh Hamas Yahya Sinwar Hamas Mohammed Deif Hamas Abu Obaida Hamas Murad Abu Murad † Hamas Omar Daraghmeh † Ziyad al-Nakhalah Abu Hamza Nayef Hawatmeh Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah Israel Benjamin Netanyahu Israel Benny Gantz Israel Yoav Gallant Israel Herzl Halevi Israel Yoel Strick Israel Tomer Bar Israel Yaakov Shabtai Israel Ronen Bar Units involved Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades Hamas Nukhba Al-Quds Brigades[8] Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades[9] National Resistance Brigades[4] Hezbollah Hezbollah's paramilitary wing Israel Defense Forces Israel Police[10] Israel Shin Bet[10] Israel Armed Israeli civilians[11][12] Strength Al-Qassam Brigades: 40,000[13] 2,500 infiltrated Israel[a] 529,500 total IDF strength[b] Casualties and losses Gaza Strip:[c] 6,546 killed[d] 17,439 wounded[e][17] 1,600 missing[17] Inside Israel:[f] 1,000+ militants killed[18] West Bank:[g] 103 killed[19] 1,772 wounded[20] Lebanon:[h] 57 killed[i] Syria:[j] 16 killed[k] 7 wounded[l] Israel:[f] 1,400+ killed[m][32] 5,132 wounded[33] 224 abducted[n][39] 100–200 missing[40] 1,400,000 Palestinians displaced in Gaza[o] 200,000 Israelis displaced[42] ~20,000 Lebanese displaced[43] vte 2023 Israel–Hamas war TimelineOutline Military engagements Hamas attack on Israel Be'eriRe'imSderotSufaZikimIsraeli ground operations in GazaJeninTulkarmQabatiya and Tammun Attacks Re'im music festivalNetiv HaAsaraBe'eriEin HaShloshaHolitKfar AzaKissufimNahal OzNir OzNirimIsrael-Lebanon borderJabaliaAl-ShatiHajji TowerPalestinians evacuating GazaAl-Ahli Arab HospitalUNRWA schoolChurch of Saint PorphyriusAl-Ansar MosqueErez General topics Kidnappings Shani LoukIsraeli blockade of GazaAl-Asad air base attackPalestinian rocket attacks on IsraelWider regional conflict Effects Casualties JournalistsIsraeli war cabinetEvacuations Operation AjayNorthern GazaMedia coverage DisinformationInternational reactions Islamic Summit ConferenceProtestsHate crimes Wadea Al-FayoumeArrasAlexandriaAnti-PalestinianismAntisemitismWar crimes vte Gaza–Israel conflict TimelinePalestinian rocket attacks ListsBlockade of the Gaza StripAllegations of war crimes Gaza cross-border raidSummer RainsAutumn Clouds 2006 shelling of Beit HanounGaza–Egypt border breachHot Winter2008–2009 Gaza WarMarch 2010 clashes2010 Palestinian militancy campaignSouthern Israel cross-border attacksMarch 2012 clashesPillar of Defense2014 Gaza War Shuja'iyyaBeach bombing incidents2018-2019 border protestsNovember 2018 clashesMay 2019 clashesNovember 2019 clashes2021 Israel–Palestine crisis2022 clashesMay 2023 clashes2023 Israel–Hamas war Hamas attack on Israel vte Iran–Israel proxy conflict Hezbollah–Israel conflict South Lebanon conflictShebaa Farms conflictJanuary 2015 Shebaa Farms incidentOperation Northern ShieldApril 2023 shellings Gaza–Israel conflict Gaza War (2008–2009)2014 Gaza WarMay 2023 Gaza–Israel clashes2023 Israel–Hamas war Iranian-Israeli confrontation during Syrian War Golan border Incidents Nuclear program of Iran Assassination of Iranian nuclear scientistsAMAD ProjectBid Kaneh explosionStuxnet2020 Iran explosions2021 Natanz incident2023 Iran drone attacks International incidents Operation Outside the Box2009 Sudan airstrikes2011 alleged Iran assassination plot2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats 2012 Bangkok bombings2012 Cyprus terrorist plot2012 Burgas bus bombing2019 Israeli airstrikes in Iraq2022 Erbil missile attacks2022 Istanbul terror plot The ongoing armed conflict between Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups[44][p] and Israel began on 7 October 2023,[45] on the morning of the Shemini Atzeret Jewish holiday, exactly 50 years after the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.[46][47][48] Hamas's coordinated surprise offensive began in the morning with a barrage of at least 5,000 rockets launched from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip against Israel,[49] while some 2,500 Palestinian militants breached the Gaza–Israel barrier and attacked civilian communities and IDF military bases near the Gaza Strip.[50] Over 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed,[32] including 260 people at a music festival in Re'im.[51][52][53] Hundreds of civilian hostages, including women, children and the elderly, were abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip.[54][55][56] Israel began conducting retaliatory strikes[57] before formally declaring war on Hamas a day later.[57] This 2023 outburst of Palestinian and Israeli violence, the fiercest since the Yom Kippur War, is part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict which started in May 1948 and which since 2005 saw most of its military exertions taking place in or emanating from the Gaza Strip. Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007,[58] avoided major engagements with Israel in 2022 and most of 2023,[q] instead covertly preparing[65][66] for a major offensive. While Hamas claimed to have received support from Iran for the attack, both Israel and the US have stated that there is no concrete evidence of Iran's involvement, and Iran has denied any role in the attack.[67][68][69] Hamas stated that their attack was in response to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, continued Israeli settlements, Israeli settler violence, and restrictions on movement between Israel and Gaza.[70] Israel cleared Hamas forces from the southern Israeli communities where the massacres took place, and conducted airstrikes in the Gaza Strip,[71] which killed over 5,000 Palestinians.[17] Fears of a humanitarian crisis were heightened after Israel cut off food, water, electricity, and fuel supplies to Gaza, which had already been blockaded by both Egypt and Israel.[72][73] Israel urged 1.1 million Gazans to evacuate northern Gaza, while Hamas called on residents to stay in their homes and blocked roads leading south.[74][75][76] The United Nations reported that around 1 million Palestinians, nearly half of the Gaza Strip's population, have been internally displaced.[77] The United Nations and many countries called for an immediate ceasefire.[78] Human rights groups called for the intake of Gazan refugees caused by the war.[79] There have been widespread civilian deaths, and a panel of United Nations special rapporteurs along with human rights groups have accused both Israel and Hamas of war crimes.[80][75] 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.[81][82][83] In contrast, countries across the Middle East called for deescalation[82] and decried Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories as the root cause.[81][83][84] Iran warned Israel to immediately stop all military aggression against Gaza, saying that its allies would inflict "a huge earthquake" by opening new fronts,[85][86] and threatening to intervene if Israeli military launched a ground invasion of Gaza.[87][88] Background See also: Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Iran–Israel proxy conflict, Arab–Israeli alliance, and Gaza–Israel conflict At the time of the attack, Israel and Saudi Arabia were conducting negotiations to normalize relations. Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman said normalization was "for the first time real".[89] Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said it had "repeatedly warned that Israel's ongoing occupation of Gaza would propel further violence."[89] Following the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état in which military general Abdel Fattah el-Sisi deposed president Mohamed Morsi, Egypt–Hamas relations soured, with Egypt suggesting that ties between Hamas and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood could pose a national security threat.[90][91] Israeli politics See also: Israeli system of government, Politics of Israel, 2018–2022 Israeli political crisis, Thirty-seventh government of Israel, and 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests Israeli politics has historically been dominated by social democratic, secular parties in the "peace camp" that made significant efforts to forge a peace process with Palestinians, most notably in the case of Yitzhak Rabin and the Oslo Accords.[92][93] Their influence declined after Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli ultranationalist who opposed his peace initiatives, leading to a deteriorating of relations which culminated with the Palestinian National Authority declaring war on Israel during the Second Intifada a few years later during the mid-2000s. Palestinian suicide bombings were a prominent feature of the fighting and targeted Israeli civilians, contrasting with the less violent First Intifada, and decimating attempts to resolve the conflict through talks.[92] After Hamas's attack, Netanyahu proposed an emergency unity government, with the judicial overhaul and all other non-emergency legislation and policy indefinitely suspended.[94] The Israeli war cabinet was formed on 11 October included opposition lawmakers, including Benny Gantz, the former Minister of Defense and former Chief of the General Staff.[95] Palestinian politics The Gaza Strip and Israel have been in conflict since the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian legislative election, and a civil war between Hamas and Fatah in 2007 culminated in Hamas gaining control over Gaza.[96][97] In response to Hamas's takeover, Egypt and Israel imposed an extensive blockade of the Gaza Strip that devastated Gaza's economy.[98] International rights groups have decried the blockade as a form of collective punishment,[99] while Israel defended it as necessary to prevent weapons and dual-use goods from entering the territory.[100][101] Since the blockade, Israel and Palestinian militants have had several clashes and made preemptive attacks on each other.[98][102][45] The Palestinian Authority has not held national elections since 2006.[98][103] A March 2023 poll of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank indicated that a majority supported the use of "armed struggle", the creation of "militant groups", and an intifada against the Israeli occupation.[104] Events leading up to the war See also: 2023 Neve Yaakov shooting, 2023 Al-Aqsa clashes, May 2023 Gaza–Israel clashes, and July 2023 Jenin incursion Over the course of 2023, before the attack, at least 247 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces, while 32 Israelis and two foreign nationals had been killed in Palestinian attacks.[105][106] Increases in settler attacks had displaced hundreds of Palestinians, and there were clashes around the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a contested holy site in Jerusalem.[107] Tensions between Israel and Hamas rose in September 2023, and the Washington Post described the two "on the brink of war".[65] Israel found explosives hidden in a shipment of jeans and halted all exports from Gaza.[65] In response, Hamas put its forces on high alert, and conducted military exercises with other groups, including openly practicing storming Israeli settlements.[65] Hamas also allowed Palestinians to resume protests at the Israel-Gaza barrier.[65] On 13 September, five Palestinians were killed at the border amid conflicting accounts.[r] On 29 September, Qatar, the UN, and Egypt mediated an agreement between Israel and Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip to reopen closed crossing points and deescalate tensions.[109][110][111] Egypt said it warned Israel days before the attack that "an explosion of the situation is coming, and very soon, and it would be big."[112] Israel denied receiving such a warning,[113] but the Egyptian claim was corroborated by Michael McCaul, Chairman of the US House Foreign Relations Committee, who said warnings were made three days before the attack.[114] The attack took place during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah on Shabbat,[115] and a day after the 50th anniversary of the start of the Yom Kippur War, which also began with a surprise attack.[116] Events For a chronological guide, see Timeline of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. For a more comprehensive list, see List of military engagements during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. Hamas attack Main article: 2023 Hamas attack on Israel See also: Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel Approximate situation on 7–8 October At around 6:30 a.m. Israel Summer Time (UTC+3) on 7 October 2023,[105] Hamas announced the start of what it called "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood," stating 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.[49][117][54] Explosions were reported in areas surrounding the Strip and in cities in the Sharon Plain including Gedera, Herzliyya,[118] Tel Aviv, and Ashkelon.[119] Air raid sirens were activated in Beer Sheva, Jerusalem, Rehovot, Rishon Lezion, and Palmachim Airbase.[120][121][122] Hamas issued a call to arms, with commander Mohammad Deif calling on "Muslims everywhere to launch an attack."[54] Palestinian militants opened fire on Israeli boats, while clashes broke out between Palestinians and the Israel Defense Forces along the Gaza perimeter fence.[120] In the evening, Hamas launched another barrage of 150 rockets towards Israel, with explosions reported in Yavne, Givatayim, Bat Yam, Beit Dagan, Tel Aviv, and Rishon Lezion.[117] Simultaneously, around 2,500[14] Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from Gaza using trucks, pickup trucks, motorcycles, bulldozers, speedboats, and paragliders.[116][105][89] They took over checkpoints at Kerem Shalom and Erez, and created openings in the border fence in five other places.[123] Initial images and videos showed heavily armed and masked militants in black fatigues riding pickup trucks[119][122] and opening fire in Sderot, killing dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers. Other videos appeared to show Israelis taken prisoner, a burning Israeli tank,[124][54] and militants driving Israeli military vehicles.[119] Massacres and attacks on civilians Further information: Battle of Sderot and Battle of Sufa For a more comprehensive list, see List of military engagements during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war § Massacres. Satellite view of widespread fires in Israel on 7 October 2023[118] A blood-stained home floor in the aftermath of the Nahal Oz massacre Militants killed civilians at Nir Oz,[122] Be'eri, and Netiv HaAsara, where they took hostages[125] and set fire to homes,[118] as well as in other agricultural communities.[118] Over 200 civilians were killed in the Kfar Aza massacre, 108 in the Be'eri massacre (a loss of 10% of the kibbutz's population) and 15 in the Netiv HaAsara massacre,[126][127][128] in what has been described as the bloodiest day in Israel's history and the worst single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.[129][130][131][132][128] In Sderot, gunmen targeted civilians and set houses ablaze. In Ofakim, hostages were taken during Hamas's deepest incursion.[133][128] Hamas said it took prisoners to force Israel to release Palestinian prisoners.[134] In Be'eri, Hamas militants took up to 50 people hostage.[135] During a stand-off between militants and IDF, videos from Be'eri showed hostages being led barefoot across a street in town.[136] Hamas also massacred 260 and injured many more at an outdoor music festival near Re'im and took attendees hostage. Witnesses recounted militants on motorcycles opening fire on participants who were already fleeing due to rocket fire.[115][137][138] At least 200 people were taken hostage during the attacks, mostly civilians.[135][139][140] Captives in Gaza include children, festival-goers, peace activists, caregivers, elderly people, and soldiers.[140] An Israeli spokesman said militants had entered Israel through at least seven locations from both land and sea,[116] and invaded four small rural Israeli communities, the border city of Sderot, and two military bases.[89] Israeli media reported that seven communities came under Hamas control, including Nahal Oz, Kfar Aza, Magen, Be'eri, and Sufa,[141] and there were 21 active high-confrontation locations in southern Israel.[142] Attacks on military bases Further information: Battle of Re'im and Battle of Zikim Hamas militants carried out an amphibious landing in Zikim.[119][143][144] A military base near Nahal Oz was also taken by the militants, leaving at least two Israeli soldiers dead and six others captured. The IDF said it killed two attackers on the beach and destroyed four vessels, including two rubber boats.[145] Fighting was reported at Re'im military base, headquarters of Israel's Gaza Division.[36] It was later reported that Hamas took control of the base and took several Israeli soldiers captive,[36] before the IDF regained control later in the day.[146] The police station of Sderot came under Hamas control, with militants killing 30 Israelis, including policemen and civilians.[147] Israeli response The initial attack coincided with the Jewish holidays of Sukkot and Simchat Torah, and appeared to have been a complete surprise to the Israelis.[121] Prime Minister Netanyahu convened an emergency gathering of security authorities, and the IDF launched Operation Swords of Iron in the Gaza Strip.[148][117] In a televised broadcast, Netanyahu said, "We are at war."[89] He threatened to "turn all the places where Hamas is organized and hiding into cities of ruins," called Gaza "the city of evil," and urged its residents to leave.[149][150] Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant conducted security assessments at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv.[122][119] Overnight, Israel's Security Cabinet voted to act to bring about the "destruction of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad."[151] The Israel Electric Corporation, which supplies 80% of the Gaza Strip's electricity, cut off power to the area.[119] This reduced Gaza's power supply from 120 MW to 20 MW, provided by power plants paid for by the Palestinian Authority.[152] The IDF declared a "state of readiness for war,"[117] mobilized tens of thousands of army reservists,[105][119] and declared a state of emergency for areas within 80 kilometers (50 mi) Gaza.[141] The Yamam counterterrorism unit was deployed,[142] along with four new divisions, augmenting 31 existing battalions.[116] Reservists were reported deployed in Gaza, in the West Bank, and along borders with Lebanon and Syria.[153] Residents near Gaza were asked to stay inside, while civilians in southern and central Israel were "required to stay next to shelters".[119] The southern region of Israel was closed to civilian movement,[142] and roads were closed around Gaza[116] and Tel Aviv.[119] While Ben Gurion Airport and Ramon Airport remained operational, multiple airlines cancelled flights to and from Israel.[154]Israel Railways suspended service in parts of the country and replaced some routes with temporary bus routes,[155][156] while cruise ships removed the ports of Ashdod and Haifa from their itineraries.[157] Defense Minister Gallant told a Knesset committee that the war would have three main phases. A first phase involving airstrikes and a ground maneuver to "destroy operatives and damage infrastructure to defeat and destroy Hamas," a second phase eliminating pockets of resistance, and a third creating "a new security regime" in the Gaza Strip and surrounding area.[158][159] Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stated that "the territory of Gaza will ... decrease" after the war, leading to speculation that parts of Gaza may be annexed or a buffer zone established.[160] 7 October Destruction of the Palestine Tower in Gaza following an Israeli airstrike Damage in Gaza following an Israeli strike The IDF announced attacks in Gaza using fighter jets, targeting 17 Hamas military compounds and four command centers. The operation included strikes on the 11-story Palestine Tower in Gaza City. The IDF believed the building housed a Hamas intelligence unit, equipped with advanced electronic warfare devices for disrupting the GPS reception of Israeli smart bombs and Iron Dome counter-rocket defenses.[117][141][161] According to MSF, the IDF also struck two hospitals, killing an ambulance driver and a nurse.[119] 8 October By the morning, Israel had struck 426 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.[162] The town of Beit Hanoun was mostly leveled by airstrikes,[163] and the Al-Amin Muhammad Mosque was destroyed.[164][165] Targets included housing blocks, tunnels, homes of Hamas officials, and the Watan Tower, a hub for internet providers in the area.[166][167] One Israeli airstrike killed 19 members of the same family (including women and children);[168] survivors of the strike said there were no militants in their area, nor were they warned.[168] Approximately 18 hours after the stand-off began, the IDF announced they had freed the hostages in Be'eri.[136] In Urim, a suburb of Ofakim, two Israelis were rescued by the IDF. Four Hamas militants were killed, and three Israeli soldiers were injured during the rescue.[136] Another Hamas rocket barrage was launched in the morning, with one rocket hitting the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.[116][169] Hamas also fired 100 rockets at Sderot.[166] The DFLP said that they were engaged with Israeli forces in Kfar Aza, Be'eri, and Kissufim.[170] Notification to the Israeli Cabinet of the declaration of war against Hamas, in the operation Swords of Iron Remains of the Sderot police station, following recapture by IDF The Israeli government's State Security Cabinet formally placed the country under a state of war for the first time since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.[171][172] The IDF said two hostage situations had been "resolved",[173] and recaptured Sderot police station, killing ten Hamas militants.[147][174][175] They secured 22 locations from Palestinian forces but were still trying to clear eight others, including the rest of Sderot and Kfar Aza. In one community, they rescued 50 hostages. Several Palestinian gunmen riding in a stolen car were killed in a shootout near Ashkelon.[162] More Palestinian militants entered Magen,[176] and 70 Palestinian reinforcements arrived at Be'eri.[163][failed verification] Residents near Gaza were ordered to evacuate.[162][176] Former brigadier general Gal Hirsch was appointed to lead recovery of missing and kidnapped citizens.[177] The IDF called in up to 300,000 reservists, and said it aimed to eliminate Hamas's military and overthrow its rule in Gaza.[163] The IDF imposed a lockdown on the West Bank.[178] 9 October Further information: October 2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, Jabalia refugee camp market airstrike, and Al-Shati refugee camp airstrike Building in the Gaza Strip being levelled by Israeli missiles The IDF struck 500 targets in the Gaza Strip overnight,[citation needed] including the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp, reportedly causing dozens of casualties, including children.[179] IDF regained full control over Israeli towns bordering Gaza. Operations against militants continued in Sderot.[180] Hamas said that it would execute Israeli hostages if Israel continued to bombard "civilian homes without advanced warning."[181] Defense Minister Gallant announced a "total" blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off electricity and blocking the entry of food and fuel, adding "We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly."[182] Human Rights Watch called the order "abhorrent" and called on the International Criminal Court to make "note of this call to commit a war crime."[183][184] The IDF said 15 communities around the Gaza Strip had been evacuated.[185] The Israeli Air Force deployed C-130 and C-130J transports across Europe to collect hundreds of off-duty IDF personnel to be deployed in the conflict.[186] Hamas fired another barrage of rockets towards Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with one rocket landing near a terminal of Ben Gurion Airport.[163] 10 October Further information: Hajji Tower airstrike Israeli aircraft bombed the Hajj Tower in the Gaza Strip, which contained residences and offices for journalists, killing three journalists and injuring dozens.[187] Israeli forces reclaimed Kfar Aza and began collecting the dead, finding bodies of victims mutilated, with women and babies beheaded and burnt in their homes. The claims of beheaded babies has not been independently confirmed.[188][189] The bodies of 40 babies and young children were taken out on gurneys, out of at least 100 civilian victims.[190][191][192] After issuing evacuation warnings to prevent loss of civilian lives, the IDF launched airstrikes at the al-Daraj and al-Furqan neighborhoods in Gaza, and the Port of Gaza. It attacked the al-Karama and Rimal neighborhoods of Gaza City, which hosted ministries of the Hamas-run government, universities, media organizations and aid agencies.[193] Israeli warplanes also struck the Rafah border crossing linking Gaza and Egypt.[194] The family residence of Mohammed Deif in Khan Younis was struck, killing his father, brother and at least two other relatives.[citation needed] National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that the ministry was purchasing 10,000 rifles to arm security teams in border communities, mixed Jewish-Arab cities, and West Bank settlements. He added that assault rifles, helmets, and bulletproof vests were being distributed.[195] Hamas militants attacked another industrial zone in Ashkelon, where at least three of them were killed.[193] Rockets were fired at Tel Aviv and Ashkelon.[193] 11 October Wounded child and man wait for treatment at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City following an Israeli airstrike Israeli warplanes struck and destroyed several buildings of the Islamic University of Gaza,[196] saying that it had been turned into a weapons factory and training ground.[197] Israel formed an emergency war government, with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant, and former Defense Minister Benny Gantz heading a war cabinet, with Gadi Eizenkot and Ron Dermer as observers.[198] Hamas fired rockets at Ashkelon.[193] A rocket strike forced UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who was visiting the town of Ofakim, to run for cover.[199] One person was injured and four buildings were hit in a rocket attack on Sderot.[200] An Israeli airstrike killed four IFRC paramedics inside an ambulance.[201] The Gaza Strip's only power plant ran out of fuel, and all supplies of gas and other types of fuel were cut off by Israel's and Egypt's blockade.[202][203] Israel struck the Gaza City port with white phosphorus artillery projectiles.[204][205] 12 October Israel said it bombed Hamas's elite Nukhba forces, their command centers, and the residence of a senior Hamas operative that it said stored weapons. Commanders from two smaller militant groups were also reported killed in airstrikes.[206] Four people were injured and seven houses were struck by a rocket attack in Sderot.[207] PFLP commander Awad "Abu Samud" Al-Sultan of the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades was killed alongside some of his family in an airstrike on the Jabaliya camp by the IDF. In retaliation, the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades launched several rockets at Zakim military base.[208] Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Israel Katz said that lifting of the Gaza blockade would not occur until the hostages abducted by Hamas were safely returned home.[73] 13 October Further information: 2023 evacuation of northern Gaza, 2023 attacks on Palestinians evacuating Gaza City, and 2023 Israeli ground operations in the Gaza Strip Early in the day, the IDF issued evacuation warnings for communities north of the Wadi Gaza, including Gaza City, within 24 hours, instructing people to move south.[209][210] The evacuation of northern Gaza would involve the displacement of 1.1 million Palestinians, and was deemed impossible by the UN, who warned of "devastating humanitarian consequences."[211] Shortly after the evacuation orders, UN facilities, including UNRWA,[212] were instructed to move to Rafah.[209] The Hamas Authority for Refugee Affairs responded by telling residents in northern Gaza to "remain steadfast in your homes and stand firm in the face of this disgusting psychological war waged by the occupation."[209] Doctors Without Borders issued a statement calling the order to evacuate "outrageous" and "an attack on medical care and on humanity", and condemned the Israeli order "in the strongest possible terms."[213] An OHCHR expert demanded that Israel immediately rescind its order, condemning the evacuation order as a crime against humanity and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, said that "forcible population transfers constitute a crime against humanity, and collective punishment is prohibited under international humanitarian law".[214] The World Health Organisation released a plea "appealing to Israel to immediately rescind orders for the evacuation of over 1 million people living north of Wadi Gaza" arguing that it's extremely difficult to move patients in critical care, medical supplies are depleting and hospitals in south Gaza were "already beyond capacity".[215] Similar statements were issued by UNICEF[216] and the IRC.[217] Israeli Defense Minister Gallant called on Palestinians to leave northern Gaza, including Gaza City, saying: "The camouflage of the terrorists is the civil population. Therefore, we need to separate them. So those who want to save their life, please go south."[218] The IDF said it made localized raids into Gaza, attacking Hamas and searching for hostages.[219][220] NBC News reported on "top secret" Hamas documents with plans to target elementary schools and a youth center in Sa'ad, to "kill as many people as possible", take hostages, and move them into the Gaza Strip. The plans were provided to NBC by "Israeli first responders."[221] The International Committee of the Red Cross issued a rare public appeal for a pause in hostilities,[222] saying that while "nothing can justify the horrific attacks Israel suffered last weekend" that "those attacks cannot in turn justify the limitless destruction of Gaza", and that Israeli orders to evacuate northern Gaza along with the total siege on the territory were "not compatible with international humanitarian law".[223] The IDF announced a six-hour window from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time for refugees to flee south along specified routes within the Gaza Strip.[224] An explosion at 5:30 p.m. along one of the safe routes killed 70, including women and children.[225] Some sources attributed it to an IDF airstrike, while CNN said the cause was unclear. The Jerusalem Post said open-source analysts believed the explosion originated from a car on the ground, but the cause was unclear.[226][227] The Financial Times carried out an investigation, concluding "analysis of the video footage rules out most explanations aside from an Israeli strike", although it was "difficult to conclusively prove whether these blasts came from an IDF strike, a potential Palestinian rocket misfire or even a car bomb."[228] Former US army officer Wesley Clark told CNN he would be "very surprised if that would be an Israeli explosion... It looks like something engineered by Hamas to intimidate its own people", and added Hamas was making efforts to impede the evacuation of Palestinian civilians, employing human shield tactics, and obstructing the exit of Americans from the strip via the Egyptian border.[229] The IDF stated Hamas set up road blocks to keep Gaza residents from evacuating south and cause traffic jams.[74] The Palestine Ministry of Health announced that al-Durrah Children's Hospital in eastern Gaza was evacuated after it said it was targeted by white phosphorus munitions. Israel denied that it had used such munitions.[230] Second week (14–20 October) Further information: al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion and October 2023 UNRWA school airstrike On 14 October, the IDF said it had killed Hamas's head of aerial operations Murad Abu Murad in an overnight airstrike.[231] Israeli minister Gideon Sa'ar told Channel 12 News that Gaza "must be smaller at the end of the war" and that "there should be an area that is classified as a security zone where whoever enters is intercepted." He added: "We must make the end of our campaign clear to everyone around us. Whoever starts a war against Israel must lose territory."[232][233] On 15 October, Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Herzog said Israel was "in the process of establishing ... a big humanitarian zone in the southern part of Gaza, with the UN" able to host hundreds of thousands of Gazans.[234] On 16 October, seven paramedics were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the headquarters of Civil Defense in Gaza City.[235] A spokesperson for Hamas said they are willing to release international hostages "the moment the conditions on the ground allow."[236] On 17 October, Israel bombed areas of southern Gaza.[237] Ministry of Health officials in Gaza reported heavy overnight bombing in Khan Younis, Rafah and Deir el-Balah had killed over 70 people, including families who had evacuated from Gaza City in the north.[238][239] An explosion occurred in the parking lot of the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in the center of Gaza City, burning some nearby vehicles. The cause of the explosion was disputed. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry attributed it to an Israeli airstrike and claimed it killed at least 500 civilians in the hospital.[240][241] This claim was denied by the IDF, who asserted that the explosion resulted from a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, targeting the Israeli city of Haifa. Israel released footage of a rocket appearing to change course and flame out, followed by an explosion in the city below. The IDF also released what it claimed to be an intercepted phone conversation between Hamas militants acknowledging that the explosion was caused by a PIJ rocket.[242] A PIJ spokesman denied any involvement.[243][244][245] On 18 October, President Biden said the Pentagon had independently concluded that the explosion was not caused by Israel, but by "the other team," based on data from the Defense Department.[246][247] On-the-ground imagery taken after the blast showed minimal structural damage to the hospital and a shallow blast crater, inconsistent with an Israeli airstrike.[248] The casualty figure reported by the Gaza Health Ministry was disputed by European, Israeli, and American estimates.[249][250] An Israeli strike hit a UNWRA school in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp, killing six and injuring 12.[251] The United States announced $100 million in aid to Gaza and the West Bank, and called for crossings to Gaza to be opened for aid.[252] On 19 October, Israel bombed a building in the complex of the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, the oldest church in Gaza, killing at least 8 people and injuring "a large number."[253][254] On 20 October, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited the Rafah crossing.[255] He called on Israel to open a "lifeline" of aid to Gaza, and defined the wandering and waiting of aid trucks as heartbreaking.[256] Two hostages with American citizenship were released at the border between Gaza and Israel.[257] Third week (21–27 October) On October 21, a convoy of 20 aid trucks entered Gaza from Egypt through the Rafah crossing with medicine, medical equipment, and some food.[258] According to an Al Jazeera reporter, Israeli attacks had left holes in the main road, slowing aid buses or trucks, and Egypt was trying to make the road functional again.[259] The crossing was closed again as soon as the convoy passed through.[260][261] The UN secretary general said that the people in Gaza need "much much, more" supplies.[262] On October 22, Israeli military forces bombed a mosque in the Jenin refugee camp, killing at least two Palestinians.[263] On October 23, Hamas released two elderly Israeli women.[264] 85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz said the following day she was beaten on her way across the border, but treated kindly by her captors in Gaza.[265][266] On October 24, Gaza's health ministry reported that over 700 Palestinians were killed overnight, and that the health system in Gaza was in "total collapse." The United Nations pleaded with Israel to allow more aid into Gaza.[267][268] In remarks to the Security Council, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern at "clear violations of international humanitarian law" in Gaza and also said that "It is important to also recognise the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation", leading the Israeli ambassador to call for Guterres' resignation.[269][270][271][272][273] On 25 October, The New York Times published a video analysis casting doubt on the official Israeli and U.S. narrative on the al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion, saying a widely publicized video of an alleged Palestinian rocket breaking up in mid-air in fact showed the break-up of an Israeli rocket some miles away and was unrelated to the hospital incident.[274] Other confrontations Northern Israel sector of war Israel Israeli-occupied Golan Heights Evacuated areas inside Israel Hezbollah presence in Lebanon Syria Israel–Lebanon border Further information: 2023 Israel-Lebanon border clashes On 8 October, Hezbollah fired rockets and shells at the Shebaa Farms region; in response the IDF fired artillery shells and sent a military drone into southern Lebanon.[275][276][5] On 9 October, the IDF claimed to have killed several infiltrators from Lebanon and fired artillery across the border. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militia later claimed responsibility for the armed infiltration.[277] Later in the day, renewed fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli troops resulted in the deaths of three Hezbollah gunmen[278] and three IDF soldiers, including a senior officer. The IDF's Home Front Command ordered residents in 28 towns in northern Israel to seek refuge in bomb shelters.[2] Artillery shelling was also reported from militants based in Syria.[193] On 10 October, Hezbollah fired an anti-tank guided missile at an Israeli military vehicle near Avivim, prompting a retaliatory Israeli helicopter strike.[23] Shells from Syria struck Israeli positions in the Golan Heights, and Israeli forces returned fire. On 13 October, the IDF fired artillery into southern Lebanon, after an explosion that caused minor damage to a section of the Israel-Lebanon border wall, near the kibbutz of Hanita.[279] A Lebanese Reuters correspondent was killed and at least four other journalists were injured.[280] On 14 October, the IDF said it had killed three infiltrators from Lebanon in a drone strike near Margaliot.[281] Later in the afternoon, Hezbollah shelled five IDF outposts in the occupied Shebaa Farms.[282] On 15 October, the headquarters of the United Nations peacekeeping force in south Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Naqoura was struck by a rocket.[283] Hezbollah launched five anti-tank missiles towards northern Israel, killing one civilian and injuring 3 others in Shtula.[284][285] Lieutenant Amitai Granot, commander of the 75th Battalion of the IDF's Golan Brigade and son of Rabbi Tamir Granot, was killed in a missile attack on an IDF post bordering Lebanon.[286][287] On 16 October, the IDF announced the evacuation of residents of settlements two kilometers away from the Lebanese border.[288] In the afternoon, Hezbollah opened fire on IDF positions near the border and claimed to be destroying surveillance cameras on several Israeli Army posts, prompting the IDF to respond with artillery.[289][290] In the evening, anti-tank missiles were fired at an IDF tank. The IDF responded with artillery.[291] On 17 October, an anti-tank missile from Lebanon landed in the Israeli town of Metula.[292] The IDF said it had killed four would-be infiltrators along the Lebanese border. Lebanese state media reported that the village of Dhayra and other areas along the western section of the border came under "continuous" bombardment overnight.[293] Syria On 12 October, Syria said Israel launched attacks on the international airports of both Damascus and Aleppo.[294] The airports were temporarily closed. On 14 October, Israeli aircraft bombed Aleppo Airport in Syria again, causing it to close.[295] On 22 October, Israeli aircraft struck Aleppo and Damascus airports again, knocking both out of service. Two workers from the Syrian meteorology service based in Damascus airport were killed.[296] On 24 October, Israeli airstrikes killed eight Syrian soldiers and wounded seven more in the Daraa Governorate after two rockets were launched from Syria.[30] West Bank Further information: October 2023 Jenin incursion, October 2023 Tulkarm incursion, 2023 Qabatiya and Tammun raids, and Al-Ansar Mosque airstrike By October 10, confrontations between rock-throwing Palestinians and Israeli forces had left 15 Palestinians dead, including two in East Jerusalem.[193] On 11 October, Israeli settlers attacked the village of Qusra, killing four Palestinians. A 16-year-old was fatally shot by the IDF in Bani Naim, while another person was shot dead by the IDF near Bethlehem.[297] On 12 October, two Palestinians were killed after Israeli settlers interrupted a funeral procession for Palestinians killed in prior settler attacks and opened fire.[298][299][206] On 18 October, protests broke out over the al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion, with clashes reported in Ramallah.[300] In Jenin, a 12-year-old girl was shot dead by crossfire from Palestinian Authority security forces, and another youth was injured by PA forces in Tubas. One Palestinian was killed in confrontations with Israeli forces in Nabi Saleh, and 30 others were injured across the West Bank.[301] On 19 October, more than 60 Hamas members were arrested and 12 people were killed in overnight Israeli raids across the West Bank, including the movement's spokesperson in the West Bank, Hassan Yousef.[302] On 22 October, Israel struck the al-Ansar mosque in Jenin, saying that it had killed several "terror operatives" from Hamas and Islamic Jihad who were planning attacks inside.[303] Casualties See also: Casualties of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war and Operation Al-Aqsa Flood § Deaths Israel See also: List of massacres during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war Civilians and soldiers Aftermath of the attack on Be'eri Around 1,400 Israelis and foreigners have been killed since 7 October,[32][304] including 308 IDF soldiers, 10 Shin Bet agents and 58 police officers[305] and at least 5,132 wounded.[33] The casualties also include approximately 70 dead or missing Arab-Israeli citizens, many of whom are Negev Bedouin.[306][307][308] On 7 October there were massacres at 10+ different kibbutzim where civilians resided and at an outdoor dance music festival. Over 260 attendees were killed at the psychedelic trance open-air "Supernova Sukkot Gathering" music festival near the Re'im kibbutz. It became the deadliest concert attack ever and the worst Israeli civilian massacre in its history.[51] Over 100 civilians were killed in the Be'eri massacre, including children. At least 50–100 people have been reported killed in the Kfar Aza massacre, with the total death toll unknown.[191] Many civilians were also killed in the Nahal Oz massacre. Nine people were fatally shot at a bus shelter in Sderot.[116] At least four people were reported killed in Kuseife.[117] At least 400 casualties were reported in Ashkelon,[309][122] while 280 others were reported in Beer Sheva, 60 of which were in serious condition.[116] In the north, injuries from rocket attacks were reported in Tel Aviv.[310] Hostages See also: Kidnappings during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war Posters in Tel Aviv calling for the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza About 200–250 people were taken hostage during the Israeli attacks, mostly civilians.[135][139][140] On 8 October, Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed to be holding at least 30 captives.[311] At least four people were reported taken from Kfar Aza.[173] Videos from Gaza appeared to show captured people, with Gazan residents cheering trucks carrying dead bodies.[89] Israel reported four captives were killed in Be'eri,[312] while Hamas indicated that an IDF airstrike on Gaza on 9 October killed four captives.[313] Civilians believed to be held captive in Gaza include families, children, festival-goers, peace activists, caregivers, and elders such as 74-year-old 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.[140][314] 75-year-old historian Alex Dancyg, who has written books on Poland's Jewish community and the Holocaust, was taken from Nir Oz.[140] Also at Nir Oz, six members of the Silberman-Bibas family were caught on video being taken from their home;[315][316] on 11 October, Hamas released a video showing three of them being let go near the border fence.[317] On 16 October, Hamas released a video of one of its hostages, a 21-year old French Israeli woman who had sustained injuries to her arm and a scar.[318] On 20 October, Hamas released an American woman and her 17-year-old daughter who were taken while visiting relatives in Nahal Oz.[319] According to a report sent to the International Committee of the Red Cross by the Geneva-based organization Hostage and Missing Families Forum, hostages include people with Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia, autism and psychiatric disorders, who are "in urgent need of treatment and lifesaving medication", and are "prone to immediate mortality [without] essential medications and treatment." The report also expressed concern about untreated injuries induced during the attack.[320][321] An open letter published in The Lancet by a group of 1,500 Israeli health-care professionals expressed shock at "the greatest loss of civilian life since the establishment of the state of Israel", and the indiscriminate "barbaric rampage" through "entire villages in the south of Israel", which it termed a "crime against humanity". The letter called on the international medical community to "condemn the savage massacre, to immediately call for guarantees for the safety and health of all those being kept hostage, and to unequivocally call for the immediate and unconditional return of our families and friends who have been cruelly taken hostage".[322] Journalists in Israel For a more comprehensive list, see List of journalists killed in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. Yaniv Zohar, a photographer for the Israel Hayom newspaper who was the first to cover the abduction of Gilad Shalit in 2006 for the Associated Press's Israel bureau, was killed along with his wife, two daughters and father-in-law in Hamas's attack on Kibbutz Nahal Oz on 7 October. His only son managed to escape.[323] Yedioth Ahronoth photographer Roy Edan was killed along with his wife in Kfar Aza; two of their children were rescued after hiding in a closet but his three-year-old daughter went missing and is believed to have been taken to Gaza.[324] Shai Regev, an entertainment editor for the Maariv newspaper, was killed in the Re'im music festival massacre,[325] as was Ayelet Arnin, a news editor for KAN.[326] Multiple attacks against Arab journalists were reportedly committed by Israeli police. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that on 7 October, a television crew from Sky News Arabia was assaulted, and their equipment damaged by police in Ashkelon, with correspondent Firas Lutfi saying that police aimed rifles at his head, forced him to undress and evicted them from the area under escort after confiscating their phones.[327] A crew from BBC Arabic was stopped, held at gun point, and assaulted by police in Tel Aviv on the night of 13–14 October.[328][329] Migrant workers At least 50 migrant workers were killed due to Hamas's attack on 7 October and around 100,000 migrant workers are trapped in Israel during the conflict due to debt from huge fees they had to pay to recruitment agencies for getting jobs.[330] Gaza Strip Civilians Man with body bags in Jabalia, Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip suffered heavy civilian casualties from Israeli bombardment.[331] On 18 October, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry put the number of casualties in the Gaza Strip at 3,478 killed, 12,065 injured, and 1,300 missing under rubble.[332] By 22 October, the number of dead had reached 4,651 people, including 1,873 children, and 14,200 injured.[333] On 23 October, airstrikes killed 436 people, bringing the civilian death count to above 5,000.[334] There were reports of mass casualties resulting from an Israeli airstrike on the Jabalia Camp, where at least 50 people were killed.[180] An Israeli airstrike at a United Nations school in the al-Maghazi refugee camp killed at least six people.[335] Significant civilian casualties were reported following the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion.[245] Other mass casualty strikes included the Church of Saint Porphyrius airstrike and the al-Shati refugee camp airstrike. On 13 October, the Palestinian Ministry of Health noted 20 surnames had been removed from Gaza's civil registry, meaning every single person in that entire family had been killed.[336] On 16 October, the UNRWA stated there were so many deaths in Gaza that there were no longer enough body bags.[337] Because the morgues were so overcrowded, bodies were contained in ice cream trucks.[338][339] On 25 October, Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani noted the death toll of children in Gaza had already exceeded the total number killed in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[340] In a statement, UNICEF regional director Adele Khodr stated Gaza's child death toll was a "growing stain on our collective conscience."[341] In the West Bank, related violence during the conflict killed 61 Palestinians and wounded at least 300.[342] Several thousand Gazan workers were in Israel at the time when the conflict started. As of October 16 some of them were detained at a "holding facility" in the West Bank while others sought refuge in the Palestinian communities of the West Bank.[343] Journalists in Gaza Main article: List of journalists killed in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war At least six Palestinian journalists in Gaza were reported to have been killed by Israeli attacks while in the line of duty. Ibrahim Mohammad Lafi, a photographer for Ain Media, was fatally shot during the attack on the Erez crossing on 7 October, while Mohammad Jarghoun, a reporter with Smart Media, was killed east of Rafah on the same day. Freelance journalist Mohammad el-Salhi was also shot dead on the border east of Bureij refugee camp on 7 October. On 9 October, Saeed al-Taweel, editor-in-chief of Al-Khamsa News website, Mohammed Subh and Hisham Alnwajha were killed by an airstrike while filming an anticipated attack in Gaza City. Two other journalists were reported missing, and another was injured by shrapnel. The homes of two journalists were destroyed by shelling, and the offices of four media outlets were destroyed by airstrikes.[327] On 19 October, the Committee to Protect Journalists stated 21 journalists were confirmed dead, eight were injured, and three were missing or detained.[344] On 22 October, Rushdi Sarraj was killed by an Israeli airstrike on his home.[345] Health and aid workers Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulance hit by an Israeli missile in Khan Yunis On 11 October, UNRWA reported that nine of their workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike, and that its headquarters were being targeted by Israel.[346] It said a school sheltering more than 225 people was struck.[163] 11 members of UNRWA and five members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent were killed in Gaza since the start of the fighting.[201] Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it had counted 16 medical personnel killed since 7 October.[347] MSF said a nurse and an ambulance driver were killed, and several others injured in Israeli strikes on the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis and the Indonesia Hospital in Gaza City.[119] A paramedic was reported to be in critical condition.[117][348][349] The Indonesian Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) confirmed a staff member was killed near an operational MER-C vehicle.[350][351] On 22 October, UNRWA stated 29 staff members had been killed in Gaza.[352] Militants The Israeli Defense Forces estimated on 10 October that the bodies of approximately 1,000 Palestinian militants had been found inside Israel.[18] Several Hamas leaders have been reported killed.[353] Hamas co-founder, Abdul Fatah Dukhan, was killed. The following day, the head of Hamas's National Relations Office, Zakaria Abu Muammar, was reportedly killed in Khan Yunis.[354] On 11 October, the IDF confirmed the death of Jawad Abu Shamala, who served as Hamas's economy minister, in a drone strike.[355][356] Further, on 14 October, the IDF announced the killing of Hamas's head of aerial operations, Murad Abu Murad, in an overnight airstrike.[231][357] On 16 October, another member of the Hamas political bureau, Osama Mazini, was killed in an airstrike at his home.[358] In addition to the targeted strikes on Hamas leaders. On 9 October, an airstrike in Rafah killed a local armed group leader.[163] On 17 October, Ayman Nofal was killed.[359] On 18 October, Jamila Al-Shanti, the first woman to be elected to Hamas's political bureau and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was killed in an airstrike in Jabalia.[360] On 19 October, Jihad Muheisen was killed. Rafat Harb Hussein Abu Hilal was killed by an airstrike. On 22 October, the New York Times estimated that of the more than 4,000 Gazans killed by Israeli airstrikes, 13 were Hamas officials.[361] Lebanon During clashes along the Israel–Lebanon border, an Israeli artillery strike on 13 October killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and injured six other journalists from Reuters, Agence France-Presse and Al Jazeera.[362] In addition, between 24 and 26 people have been killed in Lebanon.[citation needed] On the 23rd of October, Vice reported that an intervention by Hezbollah following the start of a ground invasion of Gaza would lead to Israeli army's resources being heavily stretched and that sustained rocket attacks by Hezbollah could greatly damage Israel's economy and military.[363] Foreign and dual-national casualties As of 11 October, the The Washington Post reported that persons from 24 countries had been killed or went missing during the conflict.[364] Foreign casualties in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war Country Deaths Kidnapped Missing Ref. United States 32[365] Unknown 13 [366] Thailand 30 17 14 [366][367][368] France 30 Unknown 11 [366] Russia 19 2 7 [369] Ukraine 19 Unknown 8 [370][371] Nepal 10 17 1 [36] Argentina 9 Unknown 20 [372] Portugal 9 0 3 [373] Lebanon 8 0 0 [374] Ethiopia 7 0 0 [375] Canada 6 Unknown 2 [366] United Kingdom 6 Unknown 10 [376] Romania 5 1 2 [377][378] Austria 4 Unknown 1 [379][380] Chile 4 1 0 [381] China 4 0 2 [366] Philippines 4 Unknown 2 [382] Belarus 3 Unknown 1 [383] Brazil 3 Unknown 0 [384] Turkey 3 Unknown Unknown [385] Colombia 2 Unknown Unknown [386] Paraguay 2 Unknown 2 [387] Peru 2 Unknown 5 [366] South Africa 2 Unknown Unknown [388] Syria 2 0 0 [389] Australia 1 Unknown Unknown [390] Azerbaijan 1 Unknown Unknown [366] Cambodia 1 0 0 [391] Estonia 1 0 0 [392] Germany 1 5 Unknown [393] Honduras 1 Unknown Unknown [394] Ireland 1 Unknown Unknown [387][395] Italy 1 Unknown 2 [396][397] Kazakhstan 1 0 0 [398] Latvia 1 0 0 [399] Lithuania 1 0 0 [400] Spain 1 1 0 [401][402] Sri Lanka 1 2 2 [403][404] Switzerland 1 Unknown Unknown [405] Denmark 0 1 0 [406][407] Mexico 0 2 0 [387] Serbia 0 1 0 [408] Tanzania 0 0 2 [409] Historical context Main article: Israeli–Palestinian conflict Further information: Arab–Israeli conflict, Israeli-occupied territories, and Blockade of the Gaza Strip Israeli and Palestinian deaths preceding the war. Most were civilians.[410][411] Rocket attacks fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip, 2001–2021[412] In 2005, Israel withdrew its troops and citizens from the Gaza Strip, aiming to lessen its direct control over the area. However, in 2007, Hamas seized control of Gaza by force, escalating tensions. Israel imposed a blockade, while Hamas tunneled under the border wall to launch cross-border attacks and fired rockets into Israeli territory. This led to multiple conflicts, escalating into multiple outright wars, wreaking havoc on civilians from both sides, and a preponderance of Palestinian deaths. Despite the violence, the Israeli leadership found this arrangement manageable, relying on the Iron Dome rocket defense system for defense and utilizing targeted strikes, euphemistically dubbed "mowing the grass," to keep Hamas in check, aiming to minimize the militant threat to a tolerable extent.[45] American political scientist Stephen M. Walt said Palestinians feel they have no choice but to resist in response to Israel's decades long oppressive treatment of Palestinians, even though they acknowledge attacking civilians is wrong and the methods Hamas has chosen are illegitimate.[413] The Hindu wrote that the Israeli occupation was "the longest in modern history" and created a "fuming volcano".[414] The Associated Press wrote that Palestinians are "in despair over a never-ending occupation in the West Bank and suffocating blockade of Gaza".[415] ABC News reported the August 2023 UNRWA figures for Gaza of 81% of people living below the poverty level, and 63% being food insecure and dependent on international assistance. ABC News also reported the UN OCHAoPt numbers of roughly 6,400 Palestinians and 300 Israelis killed in the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict since 2008 through September 2023, before this war.[411][416][410] Roger Cohen wrote that the increasing Israeli control over millions of Palestinians "incubated bloodshed".[417] Prior to the attack, Saudi Arabia had warned Israel of an "explosion" as a result of the continued occupation,[418] Egypt had warned of a catastrophe unless there was political progress,[419] and similar warnings were given by Palestinian Authority officials.[419] Less than two months before the attacks, King Abdullah II of Jordan lamented that Palestinians have "no civil rights; no freedom of mobility".[419] Cohen wrote that many Israelis assumed the Palestinian question had become a nonissue, and it had disappeared from the global agenda.[417] Simon Tisdall pointed to the uptick in Israeli–Palestinian violence in 2023 as portending war,[420] and claimed that Benjamin Netanyahu refused to negotiate the peace process, adding fuel to the fire,[420] and that the rights of Palestinians were ignored.[420] Yousef Munayyer wrote that the Biden administration had ignored the Palestinian issue.[421] As late as 29 September, Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, proclaimed that "the Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades."[421] Iranian officials publicly boasted for years about their role in arming militants in Gaza, and a 2020 U.S. State Department report said Iran funnels roughly $100 million a year to Hamas.[422] At a White House news conference on 12 October, Sullivan said Iran was "complicit" in the attacks, but the U.S. could not confirm whether Iran knew about the attack in advance or helped coordinate it. According to an analysis in The Independent, the blockade on Gaza created hopelessness among Palestinians, which was exploited by Hamas, convincing young Palestinian men that violence was the only solution.[423] Daoud Kuttab writes that Palestinian attempts to solve the conflict via negotiations or non-violent boycotts have been fruitless.[419] For The Times of Israel, Tal Schneider wrote: "For years, the various governments led by Benjamin Netanyahu took an approach that divided power between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank—bringing Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to his knees while making moves that propped up the Hamas terror group. The idea was to prevent Abbas—or anyone else in the Palestinian Authority's West Bank government—from advancing toward the establishment of a Palestinian state."[424] Hamas said its attack was in response to the blockade on Gaza, continued settlements, Israeli settler violence, and restrictions on movement between Israel and Gaza.[150] Following the attack, American counterterrorism analyst Bruce Hoffman pointed to the 1988 Hamas Charter, alleging that Hamas had always had "genocidal" intentions and that it had no intentions for "moderation, restraint, negotiation, and the building of pathways to peace".[425] Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University and a former Israeli military intelligence officer, argued that the attacks were "part of the long-term vision of Hamas to eradicate Israel" and that "Hamas is not ready at all to give up on the jihad".[426] Humanitarian situation See also: International aid to Palestinians In Gaza Residents inspect the ruins of an apartment destroyed by Israeli airstrikes The humanitarian situation in Gaza has been termed a "crisis" and a "catastrophe."[427][428] As a result of Israel's siege, Gaza faces shortages of fuel, food, medication, water, and medical supplies.[427] UN Humanitarian Aid chief Martin Griffiths said, "the noose around the civilian population in Gaza is tightening."[429] On 13 October, UNRWA commissioner Philippe Lazzarini said, "The scale and speed of the unfolding humanitarian crisis is bone-chilling."[430] On 16 October, doctors warned of an impending disease outbreak due to hospital overcrowding and unburied bodies.[428] The same day, the World Health Organization stated there were only "24 hours of water, electricity and fuel left" before "a real catastrophe."[431] On 18 October, the United States vetoed a UN resolution urging humanitarian aid to Gaza.[432] The World Health Organization stated the situation in Gaza was "spiralling out of control."[433] On 20 October, Doctors Without Borders stated it was "deeply concerned for the fate of everyone in Gaza right now."[434] On 21 October, a joint statement by UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, UNFPA, and WFP stated, "the world must do more" for Gaza.[435] On 22 October, UNRWA announced it would run out of fuel within three days, resulting in "no water, no functioning hospitals and bakeries."[436] Food On 18 October, Alia Zaki, a spokesperson for the World Food Programme stated that "people are at the risk of starvation."[437] On the same day, an Israeli airstrike destroyed a bakery in the Nuseirat Camp, killing four bakers.[437] On X, journalist Refaat Alareer wrote the bakery was one of the last in the central and southern Gaza Strip.[438] On 19 October, several bakeries were reportedly hit by Israeli airstrikes, making it even harder for residents to find food.[439] On 21 October, the UN released a statement saying food stocks were "nearly exhausted."[440] Cindy McCain, executive director of the UN World Food Programme, stated people were "literally starving to death as we speak."[441] By 24 October, many bakeries had reportedly closed down, while those still open had hours-long lines.[442] Airstrikes In just one week, Israel dropped more than 6,000 bombs on Gaza.[443] By 16 October, airstrikes had killed 2,750 people, including more than 700 children, and wounded nearly 10,000.[444] An additional 1,000 people were missing beneath rubble.[445] On 16 October, Israeli airstrikes destroyed a UNRWA humanitarian aid supply depot.[446][447] The same day, airstrikes destroyed the headquarters of the Palestinian Civil Defence, the agency responsible for emergency response services, including firefighting and search and rescue.[448] On 17 October, Israel conducted intensive airstrikes in southern Gaza, in areas it told residents to seek refuge.[237] An airstrike at a UNRWA school killed at least six people.[449][450] On 18 October, the Ahmed Abdel Aziz School in Khan Yunis was hit.[451] On the same day, the death toll in Gaza had risen to 3,478.[452] On 19 October, an Israeli airstrike hit the Church of Saint Porphyrius, where 500 people were sheltering.[453] Israel "pounded" areas in south Gaza it had declared as "safe zones," raising fears amongst residents that nowhere was safe.[439] On 19 October, U.S. officials reported alarm at Israeli comments about the "inevitability of civilian casualties," after Israel used the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as historical comparisons for their Gaza campaign.[454] On 20 October, Israeli continued to bombard south Gaza.[455] IDF spokesman Nir Dinar said, "There are no safe zones."[456] On 21 October, Israel intensified its airstrikes in advance of an expected ground invasion.[457][458] On 22 October, Israeli airplanes bombed the areas around the Al Shifa and Al Quds hospitals on a night described as the "bloodiest" of the conflict so far.[459][460] On 23 October, airstrikes killed 436 people in the al-Shati camp and southern Khan Younis in just one night.[461][462] Healthcare Medic carrying wounded child in Gaza The healthcare system of Gaza faced several humanitarian crises as a result of the conflict. Due to Israel's siege, hospitals faced a lack of fuel and relied on backup generators for the first two weeks of the war.[463] By 23 October, however, the Indonesia Hospital ran out of fuel and completely shutdown.[464] Hospitals around Gaza also warned they would soon lose power completely, which would lead to the death of 140 premature babies in NICUs.[465] The Gaza Health Ministry noted more than 60 medical staffers had been killed by Israeli airstrikes, as well as ambulances, health institutions, its headquarters, the Rimal Clinic, and the International Eye Center.[466][347] The Medecins Sans Frontieres said it had counted 18 ambulances destroyed and eight medical facilities destroyed or damaged.[347] On 24 October, a Health Ministry spokesman announced the healthcare system had "totally collapsed."[467] October 11–18 Following the shutdown of the Gaza Strip power station on 11 October, it was reported that hospitals in Gaza would soon run out of available fuel to power generators.[468] On 14 October, the Diagnostic Cancer Treatment Centre of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital was partially destroyed by Israeli rocket fire.[469] In a statement on 15 October, the World Health Organization stated four hospitals were no longer functioning after being targeted by Israeli airstrikes.[470] On 15 October, healthcare professionals warned if hospital facilities' generators stopped, patients would die when the power was lost.[471] On 14 October, Israel ordered the evacuation of 22 hospitals in northern Gaza. The WHO described the order as a "death sentence" for the sick and wounded.[472] Doctors across northern Gaza stated they were unable to follow Israel's evacuation order, since their patients, including newborns in the ICU, would die.[471] On 16 October, Doctors Without Borders president Christos Christou wrote that the situation in Gaza was "horrific and catastrophic. ... No electricity, no medical supplies. Surgeons in Al-Shifa hospital are now operating without painkillers."[473][437] On 17 October, a widely condemned explosion in the al-Ahli courtyard resulted in significant fatalities.[245] On 18 October, Doctors Without Borders stated severely wounded patients were likely to die as Gaza's health system collapsed.[474] October 19–26 On 19 October, the Ministry of Health asked for donations of liters of fuels to continue powering hospital generators, and Gaza's only cancer hospital announced it had "perilously low" levels of remaining fuel.[475][476][477] Doctors noted pediatric patients had developed gastroenteritis infections due to the lack of clean water.[478] Airstrikes hit the area around al-Quds Hospital.[479] The Red Cross stated Gaza's entire health system was "on its knees."[480] On 20 October, Doctors Without Borders stated thousands of people were at risk of dying "within hours" because it was "impossible" to give them medical attention.[481] Doctors at al-Quds Hospital and the Palestine Red Crescent reported they received a call from the Israeli army to evacuate the hospital or "bear the consequences."[481][482] On 21 October, the Ministry of Health noted Israel had attacked 69 health facilities, 24 ambulances, put 7 hospitals out of commission, and killed 37 medical staff.[483] Medical Aid for Palestinians and UNICEF issued an "urgent warning" that 130 premature babies would die if fuel did not reach Gaza hospitals soon.[484][485] According to the UN Population Fund, there are 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza.[486] A UN statement signed by five major branches stated deaths could soon "skyrocket" from disease and "lack of healthcare."[440] On 23 October, the Indonesia Hospital ran out of fuel and completely lost power.[487] On 24 October, a Health Ministry spokesman announced the healthcare system had "totally collapsed," with 65 medics killed, 25 ambulances destroyed, and many hospitals soon shutting down due to lack of fuel.[488] The World Health Organization warned 46 of Gaza's 72 healthcare facilities had stopped functioning.[489] The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital faced a dialysis crisis, with hundreds sharing only 24 dialysis machines.[490] On 25 October, Dr. Ashraf al-Qudra, of the Health Ministry, stated the health system was "completely out of service."[491] The Health Ministry stated a total of 7,000 sick and wounded hospital patients were facing death.[492] Water supply Israel's blockade of water pipelines exacerbated water supply issues in the Gaza Strip, which already had a near lack of fit-to-drink aquifers.[493] On 12 October, the United Nations said that Israeli actions had caused water shortages affecting 650,000 people.[206] On 14 October, the UNRWA announced Gaza no longer had clean drinking water due to the blockade, and two million people were at risk of death from dehydration.[494][495] On 15 October, Israel agreed to resume water supply, but only in southern Gaza.[496] However, because Gaza's water pumps require electricity, the agreement did not ensure renewed water access.[497][498] On 16 October, Minister of Energy Israel Katz said that water was available at Bnei Sahila, near southern Khan Younis, but Gaza Interior Ministry spokesman Eyad Al-Bozom said water was still unavailable in Gaza.[499] By 16 October, residents of Gaza were drinking seawater and brackish water from agricultural wells, raising fears of waterborne diseases.[444][497] Doctors and hospital staff drank IV solution.[500] UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated, "Gaza is running out of water, and Gaza is running out of life."[501] On 25 October, Oxfam announced Gaza had "virtually run out" of water.[502] By 17 October, the UN noted Gaza's last seawater desalination plant had shut down.[503] The Guardian noted fears were growing people had begun to die from dehydration.[493] On 18 October, Israel announced it would allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza but not fuel.[504] In response, the UNRWA announced it was seeking a resumption in fuel imports so Gaza's water pumps could resume operation.[504] On 19 October, the UN reported Gazans were surviving on a daily average of three liters of water each.[505] The World Health Organization recommends people have access to a minimum of 50 to 100 liters per day.[503] On 21 October, Dr. Adam C. Levine, the chief of global emergency medicine at the Alpert Medical School, noted diseases caused by a lack of clean water and sanitation could "kill more civilians than bombs or bullets."[506] On 22 October, the UN stated Gazans had resorted to drinking dirty water.[507] Displacement Main article: Evacuation of the northern Gaza Strip On 10 October, the United Nations said the fighting had displaced more than 423,000 Palestinians,[41] while Israeli airstrikes had destroyed 1,000 homes and rendered 560 housing units uninhabitable.[206] By 15 October, an estimated 1 million people in Gaza had been displaced, many of them fleeing northern Gaza following Israel's mandated evacuation.[508][509] Due to continued heavy Israeli bombing in south Gaza, some northern Gazan refugees moved back to Gaza City.[510][511] On 19 October, the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs noted 98,000 houses, or 1 in every 4 homes in Gaza, had been destroyed by Israeli bombardments.[512] On 21 October, the UNRWA stated 500,000 people were sheltering in UN facilities, and conditions had grown "untenable."[513] Many others sheltered in hospitals.[514] By 22 October, the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs stated 42% of homes in Gaza had been destroyed.[515] By 23 October, an estimated 1.4 million people in Gaza had been left homeless.[516] Humanitarian aid Main article: October 2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip Joe Biden Twitter @POTUS I grieve with the families of those killed or wounded in the tragedy at the hospital in Gaza. We're working with our partners in the region to get life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza as quickly as we can. 19 October 2023[517] On 9 October, Israel implemented a complete blockade on Gaza, preventing the entry of any humanitarian aid.[518] Egypt closed its border to prevent civilians fleeing, but said that it would allow aid to be delivered through its border.[519] It designated El Arish International Airport in the Sinai Peninsula as a hub for international humanitarian aid.[520] On 12 October, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged the swift and unobstructed delivery of life-saving provisions, such as fuel, sustenance, and clean water.[521] By 16 October, no aid had entered Gaza since the Israeli blockade was implemented.[522] The IDF continued to bomb the Rafah crossing, as Israel declined to assure Egyptian authorities it would pause airstrikes for civilian aid convoys.[523] In Israel, aid to Gaza was reportedly prevented by far-right politicians allied with Netanyahu.[524] On 17 October, the UNRWA stated that there was currently "no water or electricity in Gaza. Soon there will be no food or medicine either."[525][526] On 18 October, Israel announced it would allow food, water, and medicine to be delivered to a "safe zone" in west Khan Younis in southern Gaza, distributed by the United Nations.[527][504][528] Later the same day, U.S. president Joe Biden announced Egypt agreed to allow 20 trucks with aid to enter Gaza by 20 October.[529][530] More than 100 trucks of aid were waiting at the Rafah crossing to enter into Gaza.[531] In a statement, Human Rights Watch stated that without electricity or fuel, however, the provided aid would fail "meeting the needs of Gaza's population."[532][527] On 19 October, US Special Envoy David M. Satterfield stated the US wanted "sustained" aid into Gaza.[533] The same day, a spokesman for Oxfam stated aid distribution in Gaza would be a "big challenge," and the UN reported at least 100 trucks a day of aid were needed.[534][535] On 21 October 20 trucks of aid entered Gaza.[536] Antonio Guterres stated it was not enough to prevent an "humanitarian catastrophe."[537] Martin Griffiths said the UN was working to develop an "at-scale operation."[538] On 22 October, following the second delivery of trucks, Biden and Netanyahu stated aid would continue to be allowed into Gaza.[539] In Israel A Magen David Adom ambulance was reportedly taken by Palestinian militants to Gaza during their attack on 7 October.[122] The Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon was struck by rockets from Gaza on 8 October[116] and on 11 October.[540] As of 17 October, some 120,000 Israeli civilians from both southern and northern Israel were internally displaced,[541] including almost all 30,000 residents of Sderot and residents of communities within four kilometers of the Gaza border. Evacuations of residents in communities four to seven kilometers from the border were ongoing. An unknown number of residents of northern Israel had moved towards the center of the country, fearing a second front opening up with Lebanon.[542][543] As of 22 October, this figure was raised to 200,000.[42] War crimes The neutrality of this section is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (October 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Main article: War crimes in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war See also: List of massacres during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war The International Criminal Court issued a statement on 10 October confirming that its mandate to investigate alleged war crimes committed since June 2014 in the State of Palestine extends to the current conflict.[544][545] The UN Human Rights Council said it had "clear evidence" of war crimes by both sides.[545] A UN Commission to the Israel-Palestine conflict said there is "clear evidence that war crimes may have been committed in the latest explosion of violence in Israel and Gaza, and all those who have violated international law and targeted civilians must be held accountable."[546][547][548] In a 12 October preliminary legal assessment condemning Hamas's attacks in Israel, international humanitarian law scholar and Dean of Cornell Law School Jens David Ohlin said the evidence suggested Hamas's "killings and kidnappings" potentially violated Articles 6–8 of the Rome Statute as well as the Genocide Convention and were "crimes against humanity".[549] On 15 October, TWAILR published a statement signed by over 800 legal scholars expressing "alarm about the possibility of the crime of genocide being perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip."[550] The Israeli order to impose a "complete siege" on Gaza in which food, fuel and water would be denied was criticized as a blatant war crime by human rights organizations,[551][552] with Tom Dannenbaum, co-director of the Center for International Law & Governance at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, writing that the order "commands the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, which is a violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime (ICC Statute, article 8(2)(b)(xxv)). It may also satisfy the legal threshold for the crime against humanity of inhumane acts (7(1)(K)) and, depending on what happens from here, other crimes against humanity, such as those relating to killing (murder and extermination) (7(1)(a-b))."[553] Independent United Nations experts[s] condemned the Israel Defense Forces' actions in Gaza, saying Israel had resorted to "indiscriminate military attacks" and "collective punishment."[555] Additionally, they denounced the "deliberate and widespread killing and hostage-taking of innocent civilians" by Hamas.[554] Israel's forced evacuation of northern Gaza also drew international condemnation. On 13, October Paula Gaviria Betancur, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, termed it a "crime against humanity."[214] On 14 October, Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, characterized it as a "repeat of the 1948 Nakba," noting Israeli public officials' open advocacy for another Nakba.[78] Negotiations and diplomacy On 8 October, the United Nations Security Council held a closed-door meeting for 90 minutes on the conflict. The meeting concluded without the unanimity required for a joint statement to be released.[556] On 9 October, Reuters reported that Qatar was mediating talks between Israel and Hamas to secure the release of female Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel releasing 36 Palestinian women and children.[557] Israel denied such negotiations were taking place.[557] An Egyptian official told the Associated Press that Israel sought Egyptian assistance to ensure the safety of hostages held by Palestinian militants, and that Egypt's intelligence chief contacted Hamas and Islamic Jihad to seek information.[558] Egyptian officials were reportedly mediating the release of Palestinian women in Israeli prisons in exchange for Israeli women captured by Palestinian militants.[163] Diplomats, concerned that Israel has no plan post war and looking to limit the humanitarian crisis as well as prevent any regional expansion of the war, are urging delay of a full-scale land invasion of Gaza.[559] Russia requested a United Nations Security Council vote on 15 October on a draft resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire.[560] The Russian draft was rejected while negotiations continued on a Brazilian draft resolution.[561] On 18 October, the United States vetoed a UN resolution that "condemned the Hamas attack on Israel, called for humanitarian pauses in all attacks to allow the delivery of lifesaving aid to civilians, and called for Israel to withdraw its directive for civilians to evacuate the northern part of the Gaza Strip." The US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution, sponsored by Brazil and supported by 12 of the 15 Council members, calling for "humanitarian pauses" to deliver aid to Gazan civilians. The UK and Russia abstained.[562][563] Louis Charbonneau at Human Rights Watch said the US had again "cynically used their veto to prevent the UN Security Council from acting on Israel and Palestine at a time of unprecedented carnage". The US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, explained that the US wanted more time to let American on-the-ground diplomacy "play out," and criticized the text for failing to mention Israel's right to self-defense, in line with the UN Charter – a point echoed by UK Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward.[564][565][566] On 25 October, Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, stated visas to UN officials would be denied after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres acknowledged the war had a historical context.[567] Erdan stated, "The time has come to teach them a lesson.”[567] Military aid to Israel See also: Israel–United States military relations § Military aid and procurement, and Israel–Germany relations US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv, Israel, 13 October 2023 Hours after Hamas's attack, U.S. President Joe Biden promised "rock-solid and unwavering" support to Israel. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in an interview with ABC News, condemned Hamas's "massive terrorist attack" and stated, "We have immediately engaged our Israeli partners and allies. President Joe Biden was on the phone with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu early yesterday to assure him of our full support."[568][569] As Israel prepares to launch a possible ground invasion of Gaza, the Biden administration and leading members of Congress are preparing an aid package from the United States with about $2 billion in additional funding to support Israel, according to TIME.[570] On 12 October, Blinken went to Israel and met with its leaders as part of a visit that included upcoming meetings with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and King Abdullah II of Jordan.[206] Germany sent two Heron TP drones to Israel.[571][572] On 15 October, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered that approximately 2,000 troops be prepared for possible deployment to Israel, according to several defense officials.[573] On 19 October, US State Department official Josh Paul, who spent more than 11 years as the director of congressional and public affairs at the bureau which oversees arms transfers to foreign nations resigned in protest at the US government's decision to send weapons to Israel. He stated in his resignation letter that "blind support for one side" led to policy decisions that he described as "shortsighted, destructive, unjust and contradictory to the very values we publicly espouse" and that "the response Israel is taking, and with it the American support both for that response and for the status quo of the occupation, will only lead to more and deeper suffering for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people."[574] Reactions The neutrality of this section is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (October 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Reactions in Israel Volunteers organizing deliveries for soldiers in Nesher Support sign for the "citizens of south" and IDF soldiers at the Policeperson roundabout in Raanana, October 2023 Following the Hamas attack on Israel, the protest group Kaplan Force cancelled its protest against the Israeli judicial reform scheduled on 7 October, extending support to the IDF amidst the crisis.[575] Other protest groups like Forum 555 and Brothers in Arms also urged reservists to serve if called up.[115] Adalah, a legal group which advocates for Palestinians living in Israel, has said that 50 Palestinians studying at academic institutions in Israel have been summoned to disciplinary committees due to perceived support for Hamas on social media, with some suspended from their studies.[576] The newly created Civil Society Coalition for Emergencies in the Arab Community says that 30 Palestinian citizens of Israel have lost their jobs for the same reason.[576] A number of construction sites in the Jerusalem Municipality prohibited Israeli Arabs from entering, including senior managers, stating that only Jews and foreign workers were permitted.[577] Dalal Abu Amneh, a Palestinian singer born in Israel, was arrested by Israeli forces for posting "there is no victor but God" in Arabic, alongside an image of the Palestinian flag on social media.[578] She was released on 18 October and placed under house arrest for five days.[579] Adalah says that 100 Israelis have been arrested for posts supporting Palestinians in Gaza, with 70 remaining in detention as of 18 October.[580] Israeli police said that at least 170 Palestinians (all citizens of Israel or residents of Jerusalem) have been arrested or brought in for questioning since the beginning of the war due to social media posts. According to Adalah, this is the highest rate of arrests in such a short period of time for 20 years.[576] Content that has led to these arrests includes quoting from the Quran, prayers for peace, and political analyses of Israeli military actions. One person faced discipline from their school in Israel for posting about a family celebration on the day of Hamas's attack, according to Adalah.[580] Amidst the escalating violence, Magen David Adom initiated a blood donation drive and the Education Ministry closed schools on 7 October, transitioning to online learning from 15 October.[581] Various events and performances were cancelled or postponed including the Haifa International Film Festival, a Bruno Mars concert, and football matches scheduled by UEFA.[582] The Israeli energy ministry ordered Chevron to temporarily shut down the offshore Tamar gas field.[583] Following a significant drop in the value of the New Israeli Shekel, the Bank of Israel announced that it would sell up to $30 billion in foreign reserves in its first ever sale of foreign exchange.[584] Investigations were initiated into the failure of Israeli authorities to prevent the attack, with criticism targeted towards Prime Minister Netanyahu for his inability to foresee and prevent the crisis.[585][586][587] To support the war effort, El Al announced special flights to retrieve vital personnel from New York City and Bangkok on 13 October.[588] Schools advised parents to have certain social media apps deleted from their children's phones to shield them from violent war-related media.[589] IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi acknowledged military failures in preventing the attacks on 12 October.[590] The ethics panel of the Knesset voted to suspend left-wing MK Ofer Cassif for 45 days over what it deemed as anti-Israel statements in interviews he made after the war broke out. Following a rally in support of Gaza in Haifa, police commissioner Kobi Shabtai threatened to send antiwar protesters to the Gaza Strip. As of 18 October 63 people have been arrested in Israel on suspicion of supporting or inciting "terror" since the start of the conflict, according to Israeli police.[591] The Palestinian prisoners' rights group Addameer said that about 4,000 labourers from Gaza who were working in Israel were arrested by Israeli authorities along with 1,070 other Palestinians in overnight raids in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the start of the conflict, with most of the detainees from Gaza being held in Sde Teyman near Beersheva.[592] Amer al-Huzail, a former mayoral candidate in Rahat, was arrested after sharing a map of the Gaza Strip on social media with an analysis of possible scenarios for an expected ground operation by Israeli forces.[593] A poll by the Israeli newspaper Maariv, conducted on 18–19 October, found that 65% of Israelis supported a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip and 21% opposed it.[594] Emergency unity government Main article: Israeli war cabinet On 11 October, an emergency unity government was formally announced between Likud and National Unity following a joint statement from the latter party, with Benny Gantz, a former defence minister and military chief of staff, joining a war cabinet also consisting of Netanyahu as Prime Minister and Yoav Gallant as Defence Minister. The statement said the unity government would not promote any policy or laws except those related to the ongoing fighting with Hamas.[595] The war cabinet was approved by the Knesset on 12 October.[95] It significantly reduces the influence of Netanyahu's previous far-right coalition partners over the conduct of the war, which was one of Gantz's demands.[596] Haaretz reported that former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer would join the war cabinet as observers.[595] Reactions in Gaza Man's reaction following an airstrike, Indonesian Hospital in Jabalia, 8 Oct. Reactions in Gaza ranged from anger at the international community's tepid response to outright fear.[597][598] The territory faced numerous major crises. The Israeli blockade caused significant difficulties, including a lack of food, medicine, and water.[599] Azmi Keshawi, a U.S.-educated researcher in Gaza, expressed outrage, stating, "How the hell did the entire world just watch and let Israel turn off the water?"[600] On 19 October, Omar Ghraieb, an officer at Oxfam, noted his lack of food, water, or internet, writing, "Families are displaced, humanitarian situation is beyond dire, thousands killed & injured, hundreds of thousands are traumatized."[601] Gazans in Israel on work permits were unable to return to Gaza.[602][603] In interviews, workers indicated they were subject to intensive police questioning and abuse.[604] Speaking to The Washington Post, one man stated, "I can’t stay here, eating and drinking while my children are dying. There is no electricity or water or anything. Let me die there between my children."[604] Due to the Israeli Air Force's intense bombardments, many Gazans expressed fears they could die at any time. In an interview, 22-year-old U.S. citizen Mai Abushaaban, said, "People are worried, people are essentially preparing to die."[605] Muhammad Smiry, a journalist, wrote, "We are losing everyone and everything."[606] Saeb al-Jarz, a 27-year-old engineer, said, "I just really, really want to live."[607] Among healthcare workers in Gaza, reactions ranged from grief to outrage. One doctor at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital stated, "This is really a genocide."[433] Hussam Abu Safiya, a pediatrics doctor at Kamal Edwan Hospital, described the situation in Gaza as "really dangerous."[608] Abu Safiya described the difficulties of compliance with Israel's mandatory evacuation order, as transferring the children would mean "handing them a death sentence."[608] As a result of Israel's denial of clean water, he noted babies in his ward were experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, and fever.[478] Samer Tarzi, a doctor who survived the explosion at al-Ahli hospital, stated, "We collected bodies of children and many body parts. It's a sight that will remain in my mind even if I live a thousand years.[609] Dual citizens When both of Gaza's border points were closed at the start of the conflict, foreign nationals and dual citizens were trapped. This included some 500-600 U.S. citizens, who reported the US Embassy provided little to no support to them.[610][611] Lena Beseiso, a resident of Salt Lake City, reported the embassy said their "emergency line is for Israel."[610] Emilee Rauschenberger, a U.S. citizen visiting Gaza with her husband and five children, stated, "The double standard is incredibly harsh."[612] Amir Kaoud, stated, "America’s not helping us, Biden’s not helping us, the embassy is not helping us."[612] Sammy Nabulsi, an immigration attorney in Boston, stated, "We are barreling toward a grave national tragedy, and the White House and the State Department do not seem to care."[613] An Australian man trapped in Gaza with his family stated, "We are terrified that we may not live until tomorrow."[614] Wafaa Abuzayda, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen, stated, "Please. I have a one-and-a-half year old, I got him after six times of IVF... We have been trying to call the embassy since Saturday. Nobody's helping, nobody's getting back to us. Please save us."[615] Gazan officials The Palestinian Education Ministry said schools in the Gaza Strip were closed until further notice.[120] On 7 October, the Palestinian Health Ministry appealed for blood donations.[116] On 13 October, the spokesperson for Gaza's Interior Ministry said Israel had not been honest about only striking military targets, and that "everyone in Gaza is a target."[616] Yahya al-Sarraj, the mayor of Gaza City, noted the Israeli siege was a violation of international law and urged the international community to "support the victims."[617] Hamas military aims Hamas stated it abducted Israelis to secure the freedom of Palestinian prisoners, currently estimated to number between 4,499 and 5,200, including 170 children.[134][116][618] Prisoner exchanges have long been practiced in the Arab–Israeli conflict.[619] In 2006, Hamas exchanged Gilad Shalit for 1,000 Palestinians as part of a prisoner swap.[135][620] Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera they had enough Israeli hostages to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.[618] Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaida said they were holding captured Israeli soldiers in "safe places" and tunnels.[116] On 13 October, Hamas claimed its aim was to attack Israeli military bases and instructions were given to not target civilians.[621][622] Hamas official Basem Naim denied any civilians were killed, saying that only Israeli soldiers were killed.[623] A spokesperson for Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated they did not consider Israelis to be civilians, due to Israel's mandatory military service.[624] Senior Hamas official Khaled Mashal said that the group was fully aware of the consequences of attack on Israel, stating that Palestinian liberation comes with sacrifices.[625] Reactions in the West Bank Initially, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asserted the Palestinians' right to self-defense against the "terror of settlers and occupation troops"[626] and condemned the orders by Israel for residents to evacuate north Gaza, labeling it a "second Nakba".[627] Later, Abbas denounced Hamas's actions, rejected the killing of civilians on both sides, and stated that Hamas did not represent the Palestinians.[628] Following the attack, celebrations occurred in Ramallah. Neighborhood watches were established in 50 locations amid fears of reprisals by Israeli settlers, while a general strike was called for 8 October.[117] Seven Palestinians were killed in clashes with Israeli forces on 7 October,[629] while 126 others were injured.[117] Clashes on 8 October killed six more Palestinians.[163] As of 19 October, Al Jazeera noted that 76 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and Jerusalem, eight of them by armed Israeli settlers;[630] the Palestinian Ministry of Health said that 61 people have been killed and 1,250 injured in the West Bank.[631] The Palestinian Prisoners Club said that 850 Palestinians, including lawmakers, prominent figures, journalists, and former detainees have been arrested by Israeli authorities since the start of the war.[302] Arab world In contrast to previous Palestinian–Israeli wars, the initial part of the war was marked by a more muted reaction. While the populace of the region tends to be sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians many governments in the region have strongly negative views of Hamas due to its affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood and its ties with Iran. This antipathy toward Hamas has had several impacts. The official reactions from many states in the Arab world, particularly states aligned with Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have been neutral and confined to press statements. News programs in countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia do not book Hamas officials for interviews, however Arabic-speaking Jews are frequently invited. In speaking of the IDF, anchors in the UAE and Saudi Arabia no longer refer to it as an "occupation army" but just the Israeli army.[632] This neutrality began to fade in response to the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion. Despite strong evidence that the cause of the explosion was a faulty Palestinian missile, many regional governments condemned Israel.[633][634] This condemnation and subsequent diplomatic fallout had a disastrous effect on the burgeoning diplomatic relations between Israel and many Arab states.[635] There have been numerous rallies in support of the Palestinians, nevertheless populism and polarization have also tempered public reaction in the region. While many Lebanese and Syrians are sympathetic to the Palestinians, Hamas's affiliation with Iran and Hezbollah, which are hated by many due to their actions in the Syrian Civil War and the 2006 Lebanon War, makes the population less sympathetic to the current war. Many in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt also fear that they may unwillingly be drawn in to the conflict through the actions of Hezbollah and Iran. In Egypt populist pro-government talk show hosts have railed against the Hamas and Palestinian cause asking viewers, why Egyptians should suffer to help Palestinians.[632] Egypt, despite having being pressed by the United States, refused to accept refugees from Gaza both for fear of security issues since Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups shares ties with militants in the Sinai, as well as for fear that a temporary refugee situation may turn permanent.[636] Iran Iran has praised the attack while being cautious to distance itself from the planning and execution of it.[637] Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad told the BBC that Hamas had direct backing for the attack from Iran;[638][639] European, Iranian and Syrian officers corroborated Iran's involvement,[640][641] while senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mirdawi said the group planned the attacks on its own.[244] The Israeli army and the United States say that there is no evidence that Iran is connected with the attack by Hamas.[642] American intelligence appeared to show that Hamas's attack on Israel caught Iranian authorities by surprise.[643] According to a report by Al-Monitor, since the start of the war between Israel and the Gaza militias, Iran has tried to show a face of disinterest in the spillover of the conflict, and on the other hand, it has pursued an active diplomatic campaign to isolate Israel. Supporting the cause of Palestine has been one of the ideological principles of Iran's Shia Islamic theocracy after the 1979 revolution,[644] with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the first supreme leader of Iran, announcing the last Friday of every Ramadan as "Quds Day"[645] and inviting all the Muslims of the world to express solidarity with the legitimate rights of the Palestinian Muslim people.[646] The Iranian government opened an account for people to deliver charitable aid.[647] It also opened a website and reported that more than six million volunteered to fight.[648] Khamenei threatened that Islamic resistance is going to become unstoppable should the war continue.[649] His spokesperson later said that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal would have delayed it but Israel would have collapsed within five years.[650] United States US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the ongoing situation in Israel, 7 October 2023 U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of the United States Navy's Carrier Strike Group 12—led by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, and supported by the cruiser USS Normandy and the destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney, and USS Roosevelt—to the Eastern Mediterranean. The United States Air Force augmented its F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter squadrons in the region,[651][652] reportedly to deter other actors from entering the conflict.[653] On 15 October, it was reported that a US naval strike group composed of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea, and the guided missile destroyers USS Laboon, USS Mason, and USS Gravely was deployed to the eastern Mediterranean.[654] On 17 October, it was reported that a US naval group consisting of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan, the amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde, and the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall, was deployed to the eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea to transport the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in case they were needed in the area.[655] On 19 October, the United States Department of Defense announced that the USS Carney had shot down three cruise missiles and eight drones that were northbound over the Red Sea. They said the missiles had been fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen and may have been en route to Israeli targets.[656][657] After multiple drone and rocket attacks on military bases in Iraq that house US troops, the US ordered all non-emergency staff to leave their embassy in Baghdad and consulate in Erbil on 22 October.[658] A few days earlier, a false alarm in Al-Asad Airbase caused the death of a civilian contractor from cardiac arrest.[659] Secretary of State issued a threat to Iranians that their attacks would not be tolerated.[660] President Joe Biden said that Hamas’ attacks on Israel were intended in part to scuttle the potential normalization of the U.S. ally's relations with Saudi Arabia. He mentioned that Hamas attacks aimed to halt Israel-Saudi Arabia agreement.[661] International Main article: International reactions to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war Further information: Protests on the 2023 Israel–Hamas war and Hate crimes related to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel, 19 October 2023 International leaders, including from Argentina,[662] India,[663][664] the United States, and European countries condemned the attacks by Hamas, expressed solidarity with Israel, and said Israel has a right to defend itself from armed attacks and describing Hamas's tactics as terrorism.[83][187] Most Latin American governments condemned Hamas's attacks in Israel, while some expressed solidarity with Palestinians such as Colombia.[665] In a White House briefing, President Joe Biden expressed solidarity with Israel.[666][667] The European Union announced it would review aid to Palestinian authorities to ensure the aid was not funding terrorism, and subsequently announced that immediate humanitarian aid to Gaza would be tripled.[668][669] Austria, Germany, and Sweden suspended development aid to Palestine in response to Hamas's attack and said that they would review other projects and aid given.[670][671][672] The World Uyghur Congress released a statement condemning "horrific attacks by Hamas against Israeli civilians".[673] Croatia's president Zoran Milanovic publicly stated that Israel had lost his sympathy due to its humanitarian crimes and "reprisal actions" in Gaza.[674] Colombian president Gustavo Petro likened IDF attacks against Palestinians to Nazis and asked the Israeli ambassador to "apologize and leave the country"[675][676] Spain's deputy prime minister Yolanda Díaz called on the international community to put pressure on Israel to stop what she called a massacre in Gaza.[677] Pro-Israeli protest in Berlin, 8 October 2023 Pro-Palestine protest in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 10 October 2023 Responses from African governments varied, showing division about the source of the conflict and who is to blame. However, most expressed grief and deep concerns about the outbreak of violence, with condemnations of attacks against civilians and calls for restraint and de-escalation to prevent further loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives.[678] As many as 20,000 Thai workers (around half of Israel's migrant work force) live all over Israel, including areas close to Gaza.[679] Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said their stance towards "the deadly Hamas-led attack against Israel is one of neutrality, and the Kingdom promotes a solution that would allow Palestine and Israel to coexist."[680] Queen Rania of Jordan accused leaders of Western countries of double standards for being silent on Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza.[681] Evacuations of foreign nationals Main article: Evacuations during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war Brazil announced a rescue operation of nationals using an air force transport aircraft.[682] Poland announced that it would deploy two C-130 transport planes to evacuate 200 of its nationals from Ben-Gurion airport.[683] Hungary evacuated 215 of its nationals from Israel using two aircraft on 9 October, while Romania evacuated 245 of its citizens, including two pilgrimage groups, on two TAROM planes and two private aircraft on the same day.[684] Australia also announced repatriation flights.[685] 300 Nigerian pilgrims in Israel fled to Jordan before being airlifted home.[686] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv, Israel, 12 October 2023 On 12 October, the United Kingdom arranged flights for its citizens in Israel; the first plane departed Ben Gurion Airport that day. The government had said before that it would not be evacuating its nationals due to available commercial flights. However, the flights were commercial.[687] Nepal arranged a flight to evacuate at least 254 of its citizens who were studying in Israel.[688][689] India launched Operation Ajay to evacuate its citizens from Israel.[690] Ukraine has facilitated the evacuation of around 450 of its citizens from Israel as of 18 October, with additional evacuation flights in the planning for the near future.[691] Visits by foreign leaders On 17 October, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Israel to express solidarity with the country. On his departure from Ben-Gurion airport, he was evacuated to a shelter after a rocket alarm went off.[692] On 18 October, US President Joe Biden arrived in Israel and was received at Ben-Gurion airport by Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu. At a news conference, he said Israel did not commit the al-Ahli hospital bombing in Gaza and blamed what he called "the other team" for the attack.[693] In the wake of the attack, a summit in Amman hosted by King Abdullah II that was also to be attended by Biden, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi was cancelled by the Jordanian government.[694] |