Israeli Campaign Against Hamas

On 7 October 2023 (Simchat Torah 5784), Hamas led thousands of terrorists across the Gaza border into southern Israel, murdering about 1,200 people, most of them civilians in kibbutzim, towns and at the Nova music festival, and dragging 251 hostages into Gaza. Israel declared war (Operation Swords of Iron), launched a ground offensive in late October and fought through Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah against a vast tunnel network. Hostages came home through a truce in November 2023, rescue missions such as Operation Arnon in June 2024, a ceasefire in early 2025 and the October 2025 agreement that freed all 20 living hostages.

Israel also struck Hamas's leadership: deputy political chief Saleh al-Arouri was killed in Beirut in January 2024, deputy military commander Marwan Issa in March, military chief Mohammed Deif in July, political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran at the end of July, and Yahya Sinwar, architect of 7 October, in a chance encounter with soldiers in Rafah in October 2024. His brother Mohammed Sinwar and the spokesman Abu Obaida were killed in 2025, leaving Hamas's wartime command largely destroyed.