Key Points
On October 7, 2023 Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah
Israel retaliated with an aerial bombardment on Gaza
This escalated into a full-on assault with continuous bombardment, ground incursions, and blockades
Two years later, Trump’s 20-point peace plan seems to be closest to brokering peace, after nearly 70,000 lives lost
October 7, 2025 marks two years since Hamas’ attack on Israel and the beginning of Israel’s assault on Gaza. The conflict has resulted in around 70,000 casualties – 80% of them civilians, and the displacement of 2.3 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip – nearly its entire population. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has been labelled a ‘genocide’ by the United Nations for its deliberate targeting of civilians and use of starvation as a weapon of mass punishment.
The conflict began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas, the Palestinian militant group – internationally recognized as a terrorist organization – launched a surprise attack on Israel on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. Around 1,200 people were killed. In retaliation, Israel launched a counterattack on the Gaza Strip. This was the start of Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza.
What happened on Oct 7th?
At 6:30 am Israel Summer Time, Hamas announced the start of its assault on Israel, codenamed Al-Aqsa Flood. The group, with support from allied terrorist and militant organization like the National Resistance Brigades and Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, launched around 4,300 rockets into Southern Israel in a span of 20 minutes. At the same time, 6,000 militants from Gaza launched an incursion across the border, making use of on-road vehicles, speedboats, and powered paragliders.
The assault targeted rural villages in the region, military bases, and border cities. Killing was indiscriminate – Civilians, police, and military – and destruction widespread – mostly spread across police and military buildings, but homes and businesses were hit as well. In total, 24 villages and two cities – Sderot and Ofakim – were attacked, in addition to two festivals and a beach party.
Hamas first hit a police station, killing all the personnel and cutting communications to delay military response. The terrorists proceeded to massacre people across villages and cities – bursting into homes, vehicles, and gatherings. They took over at least two army bases, commandeering tanks and other weapons.
One of the main targets of the operation was the Supernova Sukkot Gathering, an open-air music festival. Hamas terrorists surrounded the concert-goers as rockets burst overhead, firing into the crowd. This was the worst massacre of the day and has even been described as the worst in Israeli history. 364 civilians were killed and at least 40 taken hostage.
Hamas later revealed to have taken 250 hostages on October 7. Several reports since have documented Hamas’s use of hostages as human shields to deter Israeli forces from shooting at them.
Israel’s Response
In a bid to counter Hamas’s attack, Israel deployed its military, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). Soldiers were sent to counter militants in cities and villages, while artillery raids were launched in border areas. Early on, helicopters fired indiscriminately at targets. The IDF had issued its ‘Hannibal Directive’ – a military procedure that necessitates the killing of enemies by any means necessary, including friendly fire. The IDF had issued a clear command that no militants should be allowed to return to Gaza, and no hostages should be taken, even if that meant killing the hostage. Several incidents of friendly fire were reported, with even some casualties from the Supernova music festival being attributed to the IDF. Many terrorists were killed, along with the hostages they were using as shields.
A little over three hours after Hamas launched its assault, Israel delivered its response. “We are at war,” announced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu through a televised broadcast. Israel began a bombardment campaign on the Gaza Strip—a Palestinian territory housing refugees, controlled by Israel—with Netanyahu promising to “turn Gaza into a deserted island.” The Israel Electric Corporation, Gaza's biggest electricity supplier, cut off power to 80% of the Strip. Civilians were told to evacuate.
The Israeli Air Force bombed Hamas’ camps and residential targets across Gaza. This campaign of bombardment would only escalate from here. A blockade of food and fuel was imposed, and weapons were shipped in from the US to ramp up the offensive. Over the following month, Israel continued its airstrikes, killing more than 6,000 Palestinians, and soon after launched a ground incursion into the Strip. As of today, two years later, the offensive is still ongoing.
Israel’s Intelligence Failure and Justifications
In 2023, leading up to the October 7 attacks, the region saw an upsurge in conflicts. The time period saw Israeli settlers moving into Palestinian neighborhoods in large numbers, attacking and displacing the residents. Clashes occurred at the Al-Aqsa Mosque—a complex of highly venerated religious structures contested by Jews, Muslims, and Christians, located atop Temple Mount, Jerusalem, on the site of a historical Jewish temple. Palestinians were killed in border regions and jails, and Hamas began conducting military exercises in settled areas. The flashpoint would soon be reached.
Reports have suggested that Israel had obtained details of the Al-Aqsa Flood mission as much as a year in advance but had failed to act on the information. The mission plan, later revealed to be surprisingly accurate, was dismissed by military and intelligence leadership as being too sophisticated for Hamas to carry out. Later, in July 2023, reports were submitted alleging that Hamas was conducting military exercises, but any signs of an upcoming assault were dismissed – the IDF had cut expenditure and manpower dedicated to observing Hamas.
Closer to the assault, BBC surveillance reports had indicated that Hamas was planning an attack on Israel. A few days before, Egypt and Saudi Arabia had issued warnings to Israel of an imminent assault. On the day of the attack, Shin Bet, Israel’s counterintelligence agency, and the IDF had discussed the possibility of an attack, even naming the Supernova music festival as a possible target. But in the end no action was taken. Only a low-level warning was issued, and small counter-terrorist teams were deployed to limited sites.
Afterwards, once the operation was over, blame was overlooked. Internationally and within Israel, Hamas actions drew condemnation and calls of retribution. The act was labelled a ‘massacre’. Israel said that Hamas "made a grave mistake" in starting the war and that "Israel will win".
In the ensuing counterattack, Israel repeatedly referred back to the October 7 attacks to justify its increasingly punitive actions including collective punishment and targeting of civilians. It claimed that Hamas was using Gazan citizens as human shields to justify its attacks on hospitals and civilian camps. It refused to de-escalate, claiming ‘self defense’. Netanyahu appealed to neighboring states like the UAE and Qatar for their support citing the Abraham Accords—a set of diplomatic treaties between Israel and some neighboring Arab states meant to normalize relations. These have also been cited as a catalyst for the October 7 attacks.
Failed Peace Talks
Egypt and Qatar were amongst the first to try and negotiate a ceasefire. Qatar managed to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas on 24 November 2023. The agreement stipulated a break in hostilities to facilitate a trade of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. 50 hostages were exchanged for 150 prisoners, with stipulations for further exchanges. But peace was short lived as both sides accused the other of violating the terms of the agreement.
Resolutions for a ceasefire have been passed many times since at the United Nations, along with offers of mediation, but to little fruition. The international perception of the conflict has changed over time. At first, while most nations condemned Hamas’ October 7 attacks, they maintained Israel’s right to act in self-defense, especially the NATO alliance. But as the assault escalated, more and more nations began to recognise a two-state solution and Palestine’s right to statehood. Both Hamas and Israel are against a two-state solution – each wanting control over the entire land. While some countries continue to stand by Israel, most have voiced their support for a ceasefire.
The US, especially, has vetoed several of these resolutions, while tabling peace deals of its own.
In 2024, the US, then led by President Biden, proposed a ceasefire resolution in the UN. By this point, international pressure had also mounted against Israel for its war crimes in Gaza. Hamas, having suffered severe losses, accepted but was met with resistance by Netanyahu. It was only in January 2025, under pressure from Trump, that Netanyahu conceded. An armistice was called, Israel’s blockade on Gaza was suspended, and several prisoner-hostage exchanges were carried out between 19 January and 18 March 2025. Talks were held between the two parties, mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, to discuss a permanent stop to the war, but soon broke down. Hamas put a stop to the hostage exchange, citing Israel’s continuous violation of the ceasefire agreement. It demanded a permanent ceasefire agreement, which Israel refused to accept. In March 2025, Israel once again blocked aid from entering Gaza. On 18 March 2025, Israel launched a series of surprise airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, saying it had “resumed combat in full force.”
Israel's Continued Occupation of Gaza and The Claims of Genocide
Israel has continued on its campaign of bombardment and launched a parallel ground offensive to occupy Gaza City. It has also continued its blockade of international aid into the Strip, allowing only US-IDF aid camps to operate, which have faced international condemnation. Power and water shortages have resulted in a shortage of potable water and led to a buildup of hazardous waste. A lack of medical facilities and resources prevents any way to manage diseases and injuries - in fact, Gaza saw an outbreak of polio in children in 2024, which then escalated to an epidemic.
The biggest crisis, however, is famine. As of August 2025, the UN has declared a famine in Gaza, with 100% of the population facing "high levels of acute food insecurity", and 20% facing “catastrophic levels”, which cannot be recovered from. The UN, in addition to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, has declared Israel’s actions in Gaza as a ‘genocide’.
Trump’s Peace Plan
The US has been Israel’s biggest supporter in its war in Gaza - supplying weapons, in international forums, and by offering peace deals. While Israel has rejected most ceasefire deals, with the US also vetoing them at the UN, it has supported the agreements pushed by President Donald Trump since his re-election in 2024. In January 2025, after the second ceasefire was announced, Trump put forth his intention to displace all Palestinians in Gaza, later clarifying that they would have no right to return. His proposal was condemned internationally but praised by Israeli leaders like Netanyahu and Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Security Minister, who called the “voluntary migration” the only possible solution.
On 29 September 2025, Trump, along with Netanyahu, announced his latest peace plan. He gave Hamas till 5 October 2025 to accept the proposal, barring which it would face “complete obliteration".
Starkly different from his earlier proposals and comments, Trump's latest plan is not as harsh on Palestinians. The 20-point proposal calls for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian relief. It outlines processes for the demilitarization and ‘deradicalization’ of Gaza, while enforcing temporary security measures on the area. It establishes paths to reconstruction and self-governance (albeit with US oversight). It also explicitly disallows Israel from occupying or annexing any part of Gaza and maintains the right of Palestinians to stay in Gaza, as well as their right to return. Finally, it even points to possible statehood for Palestine.
It provides a more realistic roadmap to peace, seemingly to address the growing unrest in the Middle East as a result of the ongoing war. But it also hints to more personal motives.
The US has placed strategic and diplomatic importance in Israel as its only ally in the middle east, an area it has historically lacked influence. Keeping this in mind, Trump’s plan gives significant importance to the US in Gaza’s redevelopment and governance, perhaps as a way to solidify its presence in the region.
The plan details significant infrastructural redevelopment to take place in Gaza and the US’s willingness to facilitate this endeavor. It also specifies the establishment of a special economic zone and port. Trump is known for his real estate empire and aggressive business strategies. It’s hard not to see personal incentive in his plans. In fact, following his earlier comment of displacing all Palestinians, he had shared an AI generated video of ‘Trump Gaza’ - his vision of a redeveloped Gaza Strip, full of resorts, clubs, gold statues of himself, and Trump-brand real estate.
But beyond this, the plan offers the only solution mutually agreed to by Israel and (partially) Hamas. Though Hamas has not accepted all of the plan’s demands, on 3 October 2025 it agreed to release all hostages and hand over Gaza’s administration to a group Palestinian technocrats. On 4 October, the IDF agreed to cease all offensive activities in Gaza. Trump said that pending Hamas’ confirmation, a ceasefire will "be IMMEDIATELY effective". Israel and Hamas representatives are soon expected to meet in Egypt to discuss the release of all remaining prisoners and hostages.
(OG/DS)
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