On 7th October 2023, Israel witnessed one of the darkest days in its history. On that day, Hamas terrorists launched an unprecedented assault on unsuspecting civilians close to the Israel-Palestine border, including attendees of a music festival.
Over 1,300 civilians, including foreigners, were killed, and several hundred were taken hostage by Hamas terrorists and transported to Gaza. Other terror outfits like Hezbollah have supported Hamas for these attacks. It has been a year since Israel declared war against Hamas and Hezbollah following that terrorist attack.
The attack not only ignited a conflict between Israel and Hamas but also set off a chain of events that has been changing the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East since that day. One year has passed, and Israel has shown strong determination to protect its citizens and dismantle Hamas, along with other terrorist outfits in the region, including Hezbollah. The region has transformed into an active war zone, where Israel has been dominating tactically and strategically with the help of its allies.
Amid the changed geopolitical landscape and ongoing war in the region, it is essential to understand how the world views the conflict and the importance of creating a balance between security and justice.
Chronology of events: A year in review
Before we discuss what happened in the one year of Israel-Hamas war, here is a brief timeline of key events that unfolded since the 7th October 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, marking a year of war, resilience, and global ramifications.
- 7th October 2023: On this day, Hamas terrorist launched a large-scape coordinated attack on Israel. Over 1,300 civilians were killed and hundreds were taken hostages.
- 8th October 2023: Government of Israel declared a state of war and vowed to eliminate Hamas. Airstrikes on Gaza begin targeting key Hamas infrastructures.
- 11th October 2023: Hezbollah, an Iran-backed terrorist group in Lebanon, launches rockets into northern Israel. Hezbollah’s actions opened a second front in the conflict. Aircrafts entered Israel from Lebanon.
- 15th October 2023: Israeli forces prepared for entering Gaza. It marked the start of full-scale invasion aiming at dismantling military capabilities of Hamas.
- 20th October 2023: International protests intensified in Europe and the US, with anti-Israel demonstrators condemning Israeli military actions in Gaza. Pro-Israel rallies also begin as tensions rise globally.
- 25th October 2023: Reports came out that Iran supported Hamas and Hezbollah, providing weaponry and financial assistance, deepening its involvement in the conflict.
- 31st October 2023: Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen declare war against Israel, claim responsibility for missile and drone attacks on the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat.
- 15th November 2023: As Israeli forces advance deeper into Gaza, international concerns grow over civilian casualties. Israel maintained its focus on eliminating Hamas’ leadership.
- 12th November 2023: Israel launched attack on Hezbollah via a series of airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.
- 10th December 2023: Reports emerge that Hamas was using Gaza’s civilian population as human shields, It increased the complexity of Israel’s military campaign.
- 15th January 2024: Hamas continued to hold a significant number of Israeli hostages. Israeli intelligence and international negotiators work tirelessly to secure their release.
- March 2024: Cross-border conflict between Israel and Hezbollah persisted, with neither side backing down, adding further instability to the region.
- June 2024: The conflict’s widened scale, especially the Houthi attacks on shipping lanes. The attacks begun to disrupt global trade, impacting the shipping industry and oil prices.
- September 2024: Israel launched coordinated attacks on Hezbollah operatives using pagers and appliances as they blew up across Lebanon. Over 800 Hezbollah operatives reportedly died.
- October 2024: Iran launched missile attack on Israel in retaliation to attack on Hezbollah that led to death of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah. 7th October 2024: – One year later: Israel continues to fight the terrorist organisations in the region.
The 7th October attack: A barbaric act of terror
What happened on 7th October 2023 can only be described as a barbaric act of terror. The terrorist attack on Israel was not a military strike, as the pro-Hamas side of the political landscape wants to project it. It was a ruthless act of terror that targeted Israeli civilians and foreign nationals, who became victims of the attack. The terrorists also kidnapped a significant number of Israelis, many of whom are still being held in Gaza as bargaining chips. All of this was done by Hamas and its associated terror outfits without any regard for human decency or international law. For Israel, it was not just an attack on its people but an assault on its right to exist as a nation.
The brutality of the attack shocked the world. Dead bodies of women, children, and the elderly were scattered all over the place. One infant was found baked in an oven. Though the reports about the child in the oven were “debunked” by many media houses, this was later proven by the Israeli authorities. Retaliation in the form of a swift military response was the only logical answer to the terror attack, and this is exactly what Israel has done and continues to do to this day.
Israel’s operation in Gaza: Defending its right to exist
After the 7th October attack, Israel announced its decision to move decisively into Gaza. It launched a military operation aimed at dismantling Hamas’ terror infrastructure. Hamas had entrenched itself in Gaza for years, using civilian areas to shield its command centres, weapons depots, and tunnels. The mission of the Israeli forces was clear: to eliminate the terrorist organisation responsible for the heinous attack on Israel and to ensure that such atrocities could never be repeated.
However, the path was not easy for Israel. Several international voices raised concerns about the civilian casualties in Gaza. Ignoring these concerns, Israel made it clear that it would continue to target Hamas’ military assets while minimising harm to civilians, who were not meant to be part of the war between Israel and the terrorist organisation, Hamas.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) conducted several precise and sophisticated operations in Gaza. Interestingly, they made sure to issue warnings to civilians to leave the area before striking, in order to avoid unnecessary loss of life. Nevertheless, Hamas had a different plan and continued to use civilians as human shields, further endangering the people in the region. Several videos and reports confirmed that Hamas forcefully prevented civilians from leaving conflict areas, pushing them back to where Israel was scheduled to strike.
Israel-Hezbollah clashes: Another front in the war for survival
While Israel was focused on rooting out the terrorist organisation Hamas in Gaza, the northern front also ignited. In fact, when Hamas was attacking Israel on 7th October, Hezbollah provided cover fire. Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed terrorist organisation based in Lebanon, launched rocket attacks on northern Israel, opening a second front in the existential war. Israel responded swiftly to the attack and targeted Hezbollah’s military infrastructure with precision strikes, while the ground operation in Gaza continued.
The way Israel fought the war on two fronts demonstrated how well the country is prepared for any kind of conflict. The IDF not only managed to contain the attacks launched by Hezbollah but also sent a clear message that it would not tolerate aggression from any front.
Iran’s direct involvement: Stoking the flames of terror Iran has long been known for supporting terror groups like Hezbollah. It played a vital role in fuelling the conflict. Iran reportedly provided weapons and funding to the terrorists of Hezbollah to ensure they were capable of attacking Israel. Tehran’s involvement became more direct as it pushed its proxies into the fight, making clear that Iran views Israel’s destruction as a long-term goal.
Houthi attacks on Israeli-linked vessels: A widening conflict
The Israel-Hamas war, which extended to Hezbollah, further spread beyond Israel’s borders and its immediate neighbours. In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthis targeted Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea, aiming to disrupt Israel’s trade routes. The Houthis posed a new challenge to Israel, which was met with effective and measured retaliation. Israel worked with its international partners to secure the maritime routes. However, during this period, several ships were targeted, and routes had to be changed to ensure the safety of the crew and cargo.
These attacks further illustrated Iran’s involvement in the assault on Israel and the lengths it was willing to go to harm the Jewish nation. The Houthis’ participation showed that it was no longer a conflict between Israel and Hamas, but a broader battle between Israel and the forces of terror in the region.
Global protests: Misinformed outrage
Soon after Israel intensified operations in Gaza, pro-Palestinian protests erupted across Europe and the United States. Many demonstrations were driven by pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel sentiments. The protesters mischaracterised Israel’s actions as disproportionate or unjust. In fact, several pro-Palestinian protesters called for wiping out Israel from the map and removed posters of Israelis who were taken hostage by Hamas.
These protests failed to acknowledge the context of Israel’s military action against Hamas. They neglected to recognise that the attack on Gaza to eliminate Hamas was an act of self-defence in response to a vicious terror attack that targeted civilians in Israel.
The global narrative was shaped by media outlets sympathetic to Hamas’ cause. Interestingly, protests at universities across the US, UK, and Europe were found to be funded by anti-Israel organisations, with links to George Soros, Pritzker and Rockefeller were also uncovered. Ironically, Soros himself is Jewish.
While targeting Israel during the protests, these groups overlooked the fact that Israel made every effort to avoid civilian casualties, whereas Hamas deliberately placed its military infrastructure in schools, hospitals, and residential areas. During raids, the IDF uncovered extensive tunnels full of equipment and ammunition under hospitals and residential areas across Gaza, which were subsequently destroyed and neutralised.
In many Western capitals, political divisions widened as supporters of Israel’s right to self-defence clashed with pro-Palestinian groups who refused to condemn Hamas’ terror.
The ongoing hostage crisis: Hamas’ inhumanity continues
It has been one year since Hamas took hundreds of civilians hostage and transported them to Gaza. While the IDF has rescued several, Hamas continues to refuse to release the rest, despite international pressure. For Israel, the safety and return of these hostages remains a top priority. The hostage crisis is a painful reminder of Hamas’ inhuman tactics and disregard for human life. Meanwhile, Israel has worked tirelessly through diplomatic channels and military intelligence to secure the release of the hostages.
Reshaping the political landscape
The conflict that began with Hamas’ barbaric attack on 7th October 2023 is on the path to fundamentally altering the political landscape of Middle East. Israel has stood firm against terrorist outfits, not only defending its citizens but also exposing the true nature of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. The war has forced the world to reassess its alliances. While many recognise the importance of supporting Israel in its fight against extremism, there are countries that side with Hamas.
Although Israel’s resilience in the face of terror has strengthened its position on the global platform, some of its tactics and strategies are being criticised as human rights violations. Furthermore, the death toll in Gaza has raised concerns worldwide. The International Court of Justice has condemned some of Israel’s actions in Gaza. However, these criticisms ignore the fact that Israel repeatedly warned Gaza’s civilians to leave conflict areas, but Hamas prevented them from doing so.
Israel’s determination to protect its people has paved the way for reshaping regional politics and the geopolitical landscape. It has forced Israel’s enemies to come out and launch direct attacks on the Jewish nation, rather than relying solely on proxies. The recent missile attack by Iran, in which over 100 missiles were fired towards Israel, is an example of how Israel’s resilience and strategic military actions have angered its enemies.
Top terror outfit leaders killed since October 2023 in Israeli attacks
- Mohammed Deif: Head of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ military wing), Mohammed Deif, was a key architect of the 7th October attack. He was killed in an Israeli airstrike in August 2024, delivering a severe blow to Hamas’ military leadership.
- Ayman Nofal: A senior Hamas military leader, Ayman Nofal was a commander responsible for rocket fire and military coordination. He was killed in October 2023.
- Fuad Shukr: A senior Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah military leader and close associate of Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in Beirut in July 2024 as part of Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah’s leadership.
- Ibrahim Aqil: Senior Hezbollah military commander Ibrahim Aqil, another top Hezbollah leader, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut in September 2024. Aqil had been a key figure in Hezbollah’s military operations.
- Hassan Nasrallah: One of the most significant assassinations during the conflict was that of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. A long-time leader of Hezbollah, Nasrallah was killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike on 27th September 2024.
In the year since the brutal 7th October 2023 attack, Israel has demonstrated remarkable resilience and strategic prowess in its battle against terrorism. The conflict has reshaped the region, highlighting Israel’s firm commitment to protect its citizens from groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel’s war against Hamas and Hezbollah continues aiming at eliminating the terror outfits.
