LIVE UPDATES: Israel–Hamas war: Israel-Gaza war

The Hamas attack on 7 October involved an estimated 3,000 militants breaching the Gaza–Israel barrier and attacking Israeli civilian communities and military bases. During this attack, 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals including 766 civilians and 373 security personnel were killed, while 253 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive to the Gaza Strip. Hamas said its attack was in response to the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, the alleged “Judaization” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the plight of Palestinian refugees and prisoners. In response, Israel declared a state of war, tightened its blockade and launched one of the most severe bombing campaigns in modern history, before commencing the ground invasion on 27 October. Israeli forces laid siege to Gaza City on 2 November and moved south to attack Khan Yunis a month later on 3 December; both sieges remain ongoing. Israel’s next stated objective is the capture of Rafah. According to Israeli officials, Israeli forces killed an estimated 6,000–13,000 Palestinian militants during the conflict while Israel has lost over 200 soldiers.

A humanitarian crisis has developed in the Gaza Strip, with healthcare in a state of collapse, shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel due to the blockade, electricity and communications blackouts, and famine conditions. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during the conflict, including over 12,300 children and 8,400 women. Several thousand more are missing and presumed trapped under rubble. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million population have been internally displaced. A United Nations resolution calling for a humanitarian pause passed on 15 November. By the end of the month, a seven-day truce commenced, following which fighting resumed. One notable incident on 29 February 2024, termed the “flour massacre”, led to the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians after Israeli troops opened fire when huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy.