War in Gaza

A Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, triggered a war of unprecedented intensity in the Gaza Strip. The surprise attack, in which more than 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage, provoked an immediate and large-scale Israeli military response that has radically transformed the region.

There has not yet been a full tally of the humanitarian consequences of the conflict. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry estimates that more than 69,000 Palestinians have so far been killed. The UN deems the ministry's estimates to be credible, although it does not differentiate between combatant and civilian casualties. 

Israeli communities have been targeted by deadly rocket fire from Hamas and its allies, notably Hezbollah, prompting Israel to target Hezbollah militants repeatedly in southern Lebanon. Israel struck nuclear sites in Iran with US backing in June and targeted Hamas's top leadership with unprecedented strikes in Doha, Qatar, in September.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a US ceasefire plan in early October that included a deal to release all the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. 

Follow our rolling coverage of the war in the Gaza Strip, including news, live blogs and analysis.