Timeline of the Israel-Hamas conflict through late 2023 and early 2024

One month into the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the toll has surpassed 11,000 lives, including about 4,000 children in Gaza. The crisis also involves 241 Israeli hostages, nearly 30,000 injuries, and the displacement of around 1.7 million people. Gaza remains split and devastated by bombing, with limited aid reaching the territory from the international community. This summary reflects the escalating humanitarian emergency and the wide geographic impact across communities in the region and beyond.

On October 7, Hamas launched a sudden, large-scale operation from Gaza, firing thousands of rockets and infiltrating Israeli territory by land, sea, and air with paragliders. In the same actions, Hamas abducted people inside Israel and attacked a music festival near the Gaza Strip, resulting in casualties among soldiers, civilians, and foreign nationals who were later considered for prisoner exchanges. Militia groups affiliated with Hamas also attacked Kibbutz Beeri, a farming community close to Gaza, where many civilians were killed. The events set off a rapid, multi-front military response that drew in regional actors and global powers.

Israel’s leadership declared a state of war with Hamas and announced the operational plan named Iron Swords, intensifying bombings across the Gaza Strip and deepening the humanitarian crisis for Gaza residents. The decision to escalate military actions was met with international concern, while diplomatic channels sought to prevent a broader regional crisis and to secure aid access for civilians in need.

These are the most notable dates

October 7: Hamas mounted a coordinated assault from Gaza with a surprise barrage of rockets, plus infiltrations and attacks by land, sea, and air. Dozens of Israeli soldiers and civilians, along with foreign nationals, were taken hostage as part of the broader operation. The strike prompted a state of war declaration by Israel and triggered sustained air and ground operations in the Gaza Strip that continued to shape regional security discussions.

The United States expressed support for Israel, and Egypt engaged in talks with both sides to de-escalate tensions and to facilitate humanitarian relief. Iran publicly celebrated the attack and allied groups in the region, including Shiite factions in Lebanon and Yemen’s Houthi movement, indicated their backing for the broader confrontation.

October 8: Israel linked Iran to the Hamas operation, suggesting planning had begun months earlier. Emergency crews recovered numerous bodies in desert areas nearby. Kibbutz Beeri continued to be a focal point of concern due to its proximity to the Gaza border and the earlier festival attack.

October 9: Brussels halted humanitarian aid to Palestine. Spain and France publicly debated the situation, while the European Union coordinated an air bridge with Egypt to deliver aid to Gaza. The day highlighted the intense humanitarian debates fueling international diplomacy about aid corridors and civilian protection.

Israel conducted extensive bombardments of targets in Gaza, and Hamas issued threats to execute hostages if attacks persisted without warning. Global leaders—Biden, Macron, Scholz, Meloni, and Sunak—condemned the violence and expressed support for civilian protection and a path to de-escalation.

October 11: Prime Minister Netanyahu formed an emergency government and aligned with a leading opposition figure and a former army chief, signaling internal political mobilization to address the security crisis and its humanitarian consequences.

October 12: Israel condemned alleged abuses against civilians amid the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Beeri. The U.S. secretary of state accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields, underscoring contested narratives about wartime conduct and civilian safety.

October 13: Israel issued a 24-hour evacuation ultimatum for more than a million Gaza residents to move south, with extensions anticipated in the following days. Lebanese Hezbollah signaled readiness to engage, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas cautioned that large-scale displacement could become a second catastrophe for the Palestinian people.

October 14: Hamas pressed for reopening the Rafah crossing to allow humanitarian aid and the exit of civilians from Egypt, highlighting the crucial balance between relief operations and border security in the region.

October 17: Israeli forces killed several Hezbollah members as the conflict broadened and regional tensions intensified, illustrating the spillover risks beyond Gaza itself.

October 18: An attack on Al Ahli hospital in Gaza resulted in a heavy death toll; competing claims blamed different groups for the deadly incident, fueling international debates over accountability and the protection of civilians during urban warfare.

October 19: President Biden visited Israel and characterized the hospital attack as coming from the other side of the confrontation. Netanyahu limited aid into Gaza to essential supplies via Egypt, pending conditions on entry, reflecting the tensions between military needs and humanitarian access.

October 21: Egypt opened Rafah to permit some humanitarian shipments. Hamas released two hostages, an American mother and daughter, amid ongoing talks in Cairo that did not yield a definitive resolution, illustrating the fragile dynamics of hostage negotiations.

October 22: Israeli strikes targeted infrastructure linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the West Bank. Casualties from cross-border violence continued to rise in the days that followed, underscoring the broader security challenges in the occupied territories.

October 23: London concluded that the attack on Al Ahli Hospital was caused by a missile launched from Gaza, influencing international dialogue on the incident and the responsibilities of parties in urban combat zones.

October 25: Gaza’s health ministry described the territory’s health system as fully collapsing under the strain. Coordination efforts involving various groups escalated amid the broader conflict, highlighting the urgent need for sustained humanitarian relief and medical support.

October 27: Egypt sent its first foreign medical team and a convoy of aid trucks into Gaza, marking a temporary humanitarian pivot and signaling international cooperation to address urgent needs on the ground.

October 28: Hamas called for the exchange of all Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages, signaling ongoing prisoner negotiations amid the fighting and the broader pursuit of a political resolution to the crisis.

October 30: Palestinian numbers rose in the West Bank as days of bombardment continued in Gaza, indicating widening casualties and the complex humanitarian situation across occupied territories.

October 31: Israel targeted tunnels alleged to have been built by Hamas, reporting substantial distances involved in the underground network and the strategic importance of counterinsurgency efforts in the conflict landscape.

November 1: Israel stated it had struck thousands of Hamas targets since the war began, with a major urban encirclement of Gaza entering its seventh day of ground operations. A second attack on a refugee camp near Yabalia caused numerous deaths, highlighting the high civilian cost of intensified military operations.

November 2: The siege of the Gaza Strip intensified, prompting heightened concerns about civilian impact and humanitarian access, as relief corridors faced new challenges amid ongoing fighting.

November 3: During a second visit by Secretary Blinken to Israel, hundreds of Gazans with work permits in Israel were deported to the Strip, reflecting a shift in population movements. The public emergence of a top Hezbollah leader linked the regional escalation to actions by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, underscoring the risk of broader confrontation in the region.

Netanyahu remained opposed to a ceasefire without the safe return of hostages, maintaining a stance that any pause would depend on progress in hostage recoveries and a secure release framework.

November 4: Israeli strikes hit hospitals and schools in northern Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties. Gaza’s health authorities reported a surge in fatalities, underscoring the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the strain on medical facilities.

November 5: A Ramallah meeting between Blinken and Mahmoud Abbas signaled talks about a broader political framework for Gaza, with Abbas expressing willingness to assume responsibility within a comprehensive political solution and international support for a durable peace process.