Gaza war

The Gaza war has been fought between <a href="/facts/Israel/dEe3IcaY">Israel</a> and <a href="/facts/Hamas/VjIkApsc">Hamas</a>-led <a href="/facts/Palestinians/DBnkAQ5l">Palestinian</a> militant groups in the <a href="/facts/Gaza_Strip/GodcCxlV">Gaza Strip</a> and Israel since 7 October 2023. It is the 15th war of the <a href="/facts/Gaza%E2%80%93Israel_conflict/TEKqsCQl">Gaza–Israel conflict</a>, and has sparked an ongoing <a href="/facts/Middle_Eastern_crisis_(2023%E2%80%93present)/58SvgMew">Middle Eastern crisis</a>. The first day was the deadliest in Israel's history and the war is the <a href="/facts/Palestinian_casualties_of_war/uhFMd3qJ">deadliest for Palestinians</a> in the history of the broader <a href="/facts/Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict/JU7ynqCl">Israeli–Palestinian conflict</a>.
On 7 October 2023, Hamas-led militant groups <a href="/facts/7_October_Hamas-led_attack_on_Israel/vRHlfVYB">launched a surprise attack on Israel</a>, in which 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 815 civilians, were killed, and <a href="/facts/Gaza_war_hostage_crisis/MLRxqM32">251 taken hostage</a>. After clearing militants from its territory, Israel <a href="/facts/Israeli_bombing_of_the_Gaza_Strip/7s20NCvM">launched an intensive bombing campaign</a> and <a href="/facts/Israeli_invasion_of_the_Gaza_Strip/BRh59Vmb">invaded Gaza on 27 October</a> with the stated objectives of destroying Hamas and freeing the hostages. Israeli forces launched numerous campaigns during the invasion, including the <a href="/facts/Rafah_offensive/9MRKd5xD">Rafah offensive</a> from May 2024, three battles fought around <a href="/facts/Khan_Yunis/h8sVCKk7">Khan Yunis</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Siege_of_North_Gaza/de4XN8oJ">siege of North Gaza</a> from October 2024. Flashpoints during the war attracting global attention include the <a href="/facts/Nova_music_festival_massacre/nz9PGxLY">Nova festival massacre</a>, the <a href="/facts/Kidnapping_and_killing_of_the_Bibas_family/hXRD9yxs">kidnapping and killing of the Bibas family</a>, the <a href="/facts/Al-Ahli_Arab_Hospital_explosion/q8Hym8y1">Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion</a>, the <a href="/facts/Flour_massacre/8YLcEhGf">flour massacre</a>, the <a href="/facts/Tel_al-Sultan_attack/F0lc8DJd">Tel al-Sultan attack</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Killing_of_Hind_Rajab/SFAYcuak">killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab</a>. <a href="/facts/2023_Gaza_war_ceasefire/ysWXcQP3">A temporary ceasefire</a> in November 2023 broke down, followed by <a href="/facts/2025_Gaza_war_ceasefire/TLRwjJvm">a second ceasefire</a> in January 2025 ending in March when Israel <a href="/facts/March_2025_Israeli_attacks_on_the_Gaza_Strip/BcKk73ep">launched surprise airstrikes</a> across Gaza.
Since the start of the Israeli offensive, over 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza <a href="/facts/Casualties_of_the_Gaza_war/04xCdL43">have been reported as killed</a>, over half of them <a href="/facts/Women_in_the_Gaza_war/zpPoB9st">women</a> and <a href="/facts/Effect_of_the_Gaza_war_on_children_in_the_Gaza_Strip/cmKweveh">children</a>, and more than 110,000 Palestinians have been injured. Israel has assassinated Hamas leaders inside and outside of Gaza. <a href="/facts/Israeli_blockade_of_the_Gaza_Strip_(2023%E2%80%93present)/bQRArEnN">Israel's tightened blockade</a> cut off basic necessities, causing a severe hunger crisis with <a href="/facts/Gaza_Strip_famine/6vavVuyI">a high risk of famine</a> persisting as of November 2024<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gaza_war&action=edit">[update]</a>. By early 2025, Israel had caused unprecedented destruction in Gaza and made large parts of it uninhabitable, leveling entire cities and destroying the healthcare system, <a href="/facts/Environmental_impact_of_the_Gaza_war/s5eYv26Q">agricultural land</a>, <a href="/facts/Destruction_of_cultural_heritage_during_the_Israeli_invasion_of_the_Gaza_Strip/mFSbqV5f">religious and cultural landmarks</a>, <a href="/facts/Attacks_on_schools_during_the_Israeli_invasion_of_Gaza/JVjowcCs">educational facilities</a>, and <a href="/facts/Israeli_razing_of_cemeteries_and_necroviolence_against_Palestinians/0Dsj6EfD">cemeteries</a>. Nearly all of the strip's 2.3 million Palestinian population have been <a href="/facts/Forced_displacement/lKjCS4R2">forcibly displaced</a>. Over 100,000 Israelis were internally displaced as of February 2024. Torture and sexual violence were committed by Palestinian militant groups and Israeli forces.
Various experts and human rights organizations have stated that Israel and Hamas <a href="/facts/War_crimes_in_the_Gaza_war/zHxVqylC">have committed war crimes</a>, and that Israel has committed <a href="/facts/Gaza_genocide/c9ultBB2">genocide in Gaza</a>. <a href="/facts/South_Africa%27s_genocide_case_against_Israel/1yrsb483">A case</a> accusing Israel of committing genocide is being reviewed by the <a href="/facts/International_Court_of_Justice/7q8I7oSs">International Court of Justice</a>, while the <a href="/facts/International_Criminal_Court/z0VwbKkz">International Criminal Court</a> <a href="/facts/International_Criminal_Court_investigation_in_Palestine/rVtz1ceN">reviewed</a> and issued <a href="/facts/International_Criminal_Court_arrest_warrants_for_Israeli_leaders/gVnn00uY">arrest warrants</a> for Israeli and Hamas leaders indicted for war crimes. Israel <a href="/facts/United_States_support_for_Israel_in_the_Gaza_war/U8wGJj6A">received extensive military and diplomatic support from the United States</a>, which has <a href="/facts/United_Nations_Security_Council_veto_power/nE1STlXV">vetoed</a> multiple pro-ceasefire resolutions from the <a href="/facts/United_Nations_Security_Council/ytwaz2e4">UN Security Council</a>. The war has reverberated regionally, with <a href="/facts/Axis_of_Resistance/by4Fc9Ck">Axis of Resistance</a> groups across several Arab countries and <a href="/facts/Attacks_on_US_bases_in_Iraq,_Jordan,_and_Syria_during_the_Gaza_war/AxGggCnm">Iran clashing with the United States</a> and Israel. By late 2024, <a href="/facts/Israel%E2%80%93Hezbollah_conflict_(2023%E2%80%93present)/QNALX2x2">a year of strikes</a> between Israel and Hezbollah led to a brief <a href="/facts/Israeli_invasion_of_Lebanon_(2024%E2%80%93present)/q7gxahPk">Israeli invasion of Lebanon</a>, as well as the <a href="/facts/Fall_of_the_Assad_regime/f9ov5ycf">fall of the Assad regime</a> and an ongoing <a href="/facts/Israeli_invasion_of_Syria_(2024%E2%80%93present)/zI8GVyf7">Israeli invasion of Syria</a>. The war continues to have significant regional and international repercussions, with <a href="/facts/Gaza_war_protests/K1vVwufM">large protests</a> worldwide calling for a ceasefire, as well as a <a href="/facts/Antisemitism_during_the_Gaza_war/rGocQJmN">surge of antisemitism</a> and <a href="/facts/Anti-Palestinianism_during_the_Gaza_war/WssgG9FT">anti-Palestinianism</a>.

Gaza war open-in-new

Gaza war