08/10/2023
Major Conflict Erupts as Palestinian Militant Groups Launch Offensive Against Israel
In a shocking turn of events on October 7, 2023, Palestinian militant groups, primarily led by Hamas, initiated a large-scale offensive against Israel from the Gaza Strip. This offensive marked a significant escalation in the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestine, as it broke through the Gaza–Israel barrier and entered Israeli territory, including border crossings, nearby cities, military installations, and civilian settlements. This conflict is the first direct engagement within Israel's territory since the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
The hostilities commenced in the early morning hours when Palestinian militants launched a barrage of rockets into Israel and conducted vehicle-transported incursions into Israeli territory. These attacks targeted not only surrounding Israeli civilian communities but also military bases. Some observers have already begun referring to these events as the onset of a potential third Palestinian intifada, marking a troubling development in the region. Israel responded by formally declaring war, a significant step not taken since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
This offensive followed months of ongoing clashes between Israelis and Palestinians, including incidents in Jenin and at Al-Aqsa Mosque, resulting in the loss of lives on both sides. Hamas cited these events as justification for their offensive. Mohammed Deif, the commander of its military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, urging Palestinians and Arab Israelis to "expel the occupiers and demolish the walls." In response to the attacks, Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, in an emergency meeting in the West Bank, expressed support for the Gazan infiltration, asserting that Palestinians had the right to defend themselves against the Israeli occupation.
Within Israel, all major opposition parties have called for a national unity government to confront the Palestinian offensive, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The scale of the Palestinian attacks is evident in the launch of at least 2,200 rockets from the Gaza Strip. These attacks breached the border and led to casualties among Israelis, with at least 700 reported dead. In response, Israel's government declared a state of emergency, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a national address that Israel "is at war."
As the Palestinian militants infiltrated Israel, they reached several kibbutzim near the Gaza Strip and Sderot. The Palestinian Ministry of Health, led by Hamas in Gaza, reported that Israel had killed at least 400 Palestinians in gunfights and airstrikes, including civilians, with a significant number being children and women. In contrast, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have killed more than 400 individuals whom they referred to as "terrorists." Disturbingly, Palestinian and Israeli media sources reports suggested that Palestinian militants had taken Israeli soldiers and civilians, including children, as hostages. Several of these hostages were reportedly taken to the Gaza Strip. Additionally, multiple cases of violence and massacres against Israeli civilians have been reported since the beginning of the Hamas offensive.
Iran has openly supported the Palestinian offensive, further complicating the situation. In response, most countries, including Western nations and India, have condemned Hamas for the violence, categorizing the tactics used as terrorism. Meanwhile, some Muslim countries have blamed the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the denial of Palestinian self-determination as the root cause of the escalating conflict. Other nations have called for immediate de-escalation to prevent further loss of life and instability in the region.
As the situation unfolds, the international community watches with growing concern, hoping for a swift resolution to this devastating conflict.
Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images