An armed conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group has been taking place chiefly in and around the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, with clashes also taking place in the West Bank and the Israeli –Lebanon border. On that day, militant groups launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. The war began when Hamas-led Palestinian militant group targeted Israel in an operation they called "Al-Aqsa Flood" with a barrage of rockets, while around 3,000 militants breached the Gaza–Israel barrier: tortured, raped, burnt alive and slaughtered neighbouring Israeli communities and military bases, resulting in the death of 695 Israeli civilians, 373 soldiers and 71 foreigners, giving a total of 1,139 deaths. An estimated 240 Israeli soldiers, civilians and foreigners were taken to the Gaza Strip as captives or hostages. As a result of the massacre, the IDF went on the offensive inside the Gaza Strip, while Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group joined the war against Israel from the northern border on a low scale, as both sides fear going into a full out blown war with each other.
During the month of November 2023, 110 out of the 240 hostages were released back into Israel as part of a prisoner exchange deal, which led to the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners as well.
2023-Ongoing
The spreadeagled and heavily mutilated body of Israeli citizen Gal Abdoush (34), whom Israeli police officials said they believed was raped, tortured and then murdered by Hamas gunmen on October 7, lies down by her car on road 232, near Kibbutz Mefalsim. southern Israel. Abdoush's husband Nagi (35) was also murdered by Hamas militants on that day, leaving their 2 kids aged 7 and 10 orphaned.
Sigal Yacobi embraces her daughter after being rescued by IDF special forces from inside Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Hundreds of Hamas militants infiltrated Kfar Aza, slaughtered and raped residents, leaving the village in ruins during the October 7th attack. at least 79 members of the community were murdered while 18 were kidnapped into Gaza during the attack.
Blood stains on children's beds inside a home shelter in Kibbutz Nir Oz. During the October 7 attack Hamas either killed, injured or abducted and took into Gaza about one quarter of the 400 residents of Nir Oz. The Hamas assault on the kibbutz was over by 1 pm, and it took the IDF another two hours to reach the Kibbutz, after the militants left the area.
Dobi Muaziz (64- R) and his wife Rachel Muaziz (61- L) taking cover outside of their home in the city of Sderot during a Hamas rocket attack on the southren city. Hamas gunmen attacked Sderot, engaging in firefights with Israeli police and civilians killing at least 30 civilians as well as police officers during the October 7th attack.
An IDF M109 howitzer fires towards targets inside Gaza as part of the IDF ground attack on the strip after the October 7th massacres.
The funeral procession of the Zohar family : Yaniv (54), Yasmin (49) and their two daughters Keshet (20) and Techelt (18). All four were murdered by Hamas militants, during the October 7 attack on Kibbutz Nahal Oz, which left 12 community members murdered and 8 kidnapped into Gaza. Ariel Zohar (13) the youngest son of the family was able to escape the massacre and survived.
The body of a Hamas gunman lies by his motorcycle near the entrance of Kibbutz Alumim, southern Israel. The militants killed 23 foreign workers from Thailand and Nepal, and kidnapped 8 others during the October 7 attack before the kibbutz's security team fought them off.
Twin brother and sister Yonathan and Merav Svirsky (42) sitting at Merav's home in Tal Shachar community. their younger brother Itai was kidnapped into Gaza during the October 7th attack on Kibbutz Be'eri. Hamas militants also murdered their parents Orit (70) and Rafi (71) on the same day. Itai eventually was murdered in captivity during the month of January 2024. More than 90 residents of the Kibbutz were murdered during the massacre and 30 were kidnapped into Gaza.
IDF soldiers inspecting Nova party goers belongings, which were left behind during the October 7 massacre. As part of the attack, 364 civilians were murdered and many more were raped and mutilated by Hamas gunmen at the Supernova Gathering, an open-air music festival near kibbutz Re'im. in Southern Israel. At least 40 hostages were also kidnapped into Gaza.
An airplane toy which was left near one of the houses that were burnet to the ground by Hamas militants during the October 7 massacre in Kibbutz Be'eri. More than 90 residents of the Kibbutz were murdered during the massacre and 30 were kidnapped into Gaza.
The funeral procession of Yossi Vahav (65), who was killed during Hamas attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, he was buried at Kibbutz Beit Guvrin cemetery. During the October 7 attack Hamas either killed, injured or abducted and took into Gaza about one quarter of the 400 residents of Nir Oz. The Hamas assault on the kibbutz was over by 1 pm, and it took the IDF another two hours to reach the Kibbutz, after the militants left the area.
Netta Aptalon being comforted by a friend after the funeral procession of her father, Yosi Aptalon (77), who was murdered during the Hamas militant attack of October 7 on Kibbutz Be'eri. The funeral procession took place in Kibbutz Revivim cemetery in southern Israel since members of kibbutz Be'eri cannot be buried in the kibbutz cemetery as it is an active war zone. More than 90 residents were murdered and 30 were kidnapped into Gaza during the attack.
Smoke billows over road 232, which connects southern Israeli communities along the Israeli-Gaza border, after a rocket shot from Gaza landed in a field near by. Along this road many Israeli civilians were murdered raped and wounded by Hamas militants during the October 7 attack.
Shira Elbag (C), the mother of Liri Elbag who was kidnapped into Gaza during the October 7 attack, protesting for the release of her daughter with other Israeli hostages family members in Tel-Aviv.
Fresh graves of residents of Kibbutz Be'eri who were murdered during the October 7 attack, at the cemetery of Kibbutz Revivim, southern Israel. Because of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, members of the kibbutz cannot be buried in the kibbutz cemetery as it is an active war zone. More than 90 residents were murdered and 30 were kidnapped into Gaza during the attack.
An IDF soldier manning his post, looking towards Lebanon, searching for any Hezbollah gunmen who might try to get close to the border between Israel and Lebanon at Rosh HaNikra. Rosh HaNikra is a geologic formation on the border between Israel and Lebanon, located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the Western Galilee..
A young Bedouin boy sits near Arab Al-Aramshe village cemetery, around 1.5 KM from the border with Lebanon. Arab Al-Aramshe is an Israeli Bedouin village located south of the Lebanese border. more than 60% of the village residents serve in the Israeli army. The village was attacked several times by Hezbollah and other Palestinian factions from Lebanon, since the October 7th attack.
Muhammad Swidan (87), a resident of the Israeli Bedouin village of Arab Al-Aramshe, which is located south of the Lebanese border, sitting near the the corpses of 4 of his cows, which were killed by a mortar shell that was shot from the Lebanese side of the border by Hezbollah militants.The village was attacked several times by Hezbollah and other Palestinian factions from Lebanon, since the October 7th attack.
A military concrete position overlooking the Israeli-Lebanon border from Kibbutz Manara, which is located around 500 meters from the border fence. after the October 7th attack in the south, many of the Israeli communities in the north which are located near the Lebanese border, decided to leave their homes fearing similar attacks by Hezbollah militants.
An IDF soldier (left, on a wheelchair) who was injured while fighting Hamas militants inside the Gaza Strip, relaxing with family and friends at the Rehabilitation Department for injured soldiers in Sheba hospital. fighting inside Gaza has left many IDF soldiers injured, specifically from mines, booby traps, and anti tank missiles.
Families and friends of about 240 hostages (before the prisoner exchange deal) held by Hamas in Gaza call for their return as they participate in a five-day "March for the Hostages" from Tel Aviv to the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, near the village of Beit Hashmonai, Israel.
Nir Shani a resident of Kibbutz Be'eri whose son Amit (16) was kidnapped by Hamas gunmen on October 7 in the Kibbutz, looking through a window at the second floor of his house where his son used to live. Amit was freed from captivity during the November 2023 prisoners exchange deal between Israel and Hamas. More than 90 residents of the Kibbutz were murdered during the massacre and 30 were kidnapped into Gaza.
Workers fixing the fence around Kibbutz Nahal Oz, which was breached by Hamas gunmen and other Palestinian civilians from Gaza on October 7. 12 community members were murdered and 8 kidnapped into Gaza during the attack. Distance between Nahal Oz to the Israel-Gaza border is less than 2KM.
Israeli soldiers carry the coffin of IDF soldier, sergeant Lior Siminovich (19), during his funeral procession at Herzliya military cemetery. Siminovich was killed while fighting Hamas militants inside the Gaza Strip.
Blood stains that leads into a home shelter inside a residential house of a family in Kibbutz Be'eri which was attacked by Hamas gunmen on October 7. More than 90 residents of the Kibbutz were murdered during the massacre and 30 were kidnapped into Gaza.
IDF forensics teams working to identify the remains of members of Kibbutz Be'eri, who were murdered and burnt alive by Hamas militants inside their homes, during the October 7 attack on the Kibbutz.
More than 90 residents of the Kibbutz were murdered and 30 were kidnapped into Gaza during the attack.
A friend of Hanan Hanania Amar (38) a father of 3 who was murdered by Hamas militants while attending the Nova party, lights a candle with his daughter for the memory of Hanan, at the Nova festival memorial site. As part of the October 7th attack, 364 civilians were murdered and many more were raped and mutilated by Hamas gunmen at the Supernova Gathering, an open-air music festival near kibbutz Re'im. in Southern Israel. At least 40 hostages were also kidnapped into Gaza from the festival area.
A gun practice target at a gun range near Tel-Aviv. Many Israeli citizens have applied for a gun licence in order to be able to fight back in case needed, since the IDF wasn't able to protect the communities around the Israeli-Gaza border during the October 7th massacres.
4 bodies of Israeli civilians who were murdered and partly burnt by Hamas militants during the October 7 attack, on road 232, which connects southern Israeli communities along the Israeli-Gaza border.
Friends and family of Yossi Vahav (65), embrace each other during his funeral procession. Vahav was killed during Hamas attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, he was buried at Kibbutz Beit Guvrin cemetery. During the October 7th attack Hamas either killed, injured or abducted and took into Gaza about one quarter of the 400 residents of Nir Oz.
Ben Binyamin (29) lies down in the sun, after rehabilitation training in Sheba Hospital. he has lost his right leg when Hamas militants threw a grenade into the shelter he was hiding in with his fiancé Gali Segal (who also lost her right leg in the attack) and other Nova party goers who tried to escape the gunmen attack on the festival zone, during the October 7th massacres.
Israeli soldiers take position in Kibbutz Be'eri a week after the October 7th massacre in the Kibbutz. More than 90 residents of Be'eri were murdered and 30 were kidnapped into Gaza during the attack.
Israeli civilians during a protest against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel-Aviv. The word "Go" is written in Hebrew on one of the protestor's shirt (C). Many Israelis blame Netanyahu for the October 7th massacres, as he decided to provide Hamas leadership with millions of dollars in order to strengthen them against the Palestinian Authority in the past 8 years, while also leading a highly controversial judicial overhaul during 2023, trying to change Israel from a democracy into a dictatorship.
A handprint full of blood on a wall inside a house in Kibbutz Nir Oz. During the October 7 attack Hamas either killed, injured or abducted and took into Gaza about one quarter of the 400 residents of Nir Oz. The Hamas assault on the kibbutz was over by 1 pm, and it took the IDF another two hours to reach the Kibbutz, after the militants left the area.
A view from Kibbutz Nahal Oz towards parts of Shejayia neighbourhood in the Gaza Strip, from which Hamas gunmen and Palestinian civilians crossed into Israel on October 7. 12 community members were murdered and 8 kidnapped into Gaza during the attack. Distance between Nahal Oz to the Israel-Gaza border is less than 2KM.
Childhood friends of sergeant Idan Raz (20) from the IDF Golani brigade, stand over his grave at Kibbutz Ein Hamifratz, marking 30 days since he was killed in action while fighting Hamas militants on October 7. The red shirts are for Raz favourite basketball team. Raz and his fellow soldiers fought bravely, outnumbered and outgunned against thousands of Hamas gunmen who surprised them on that Saturday morning. The IDF intelligence failed to anticipate the attack, leaving the few soldiers on the ground to fight for their lives and the lives of civilians in near by areas of the Israeli-Gaza border.
Israeli right wing protesters trying to block the border crossing checkpoint with the goal of blocking aid shipments from getting into the Gaza, in Kerem Shalom, Southern Israel.
The remains of a burnet body of an Israeli civilian inside his car on road 232 near Kibbutz Mefalsim, southern Israel. he was murdered and burnet by Hamas militants during the October 7th attack.