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90-490: On December 7, 2023, during the fighting in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war , the Israeli Defense Forces conquered Palestine Square. On November 30, a week prior to the conquer, Hamas used Palestine Square as the venue for the release of some of the hostages it was holding. 31°30′22″N 34°27′42″E  /  31.50611°N 34.46167°E  / 31.50611; 34.46167 This article about

180-477: A rocket barrage and a few thousand militants breaching the Gaza–Israel barrier , attacking Israeli civilian communities and military bases. During this attack, 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, including 815 civilians. In addition, 251 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive into Gaza , with the stated goal to force Israel to release Palestinian prisoners and detainees . Hamas said its attack

270-434: A year old baby, his 4-year-old brother and their mother , 13 women aged 18–39, and 85 men, some over 80. Thousands of Palestinians remain in administrative detention . A Hamas official said that after the exchange, the only remaining hostages were civilian men and soldiers, and refused to exchange them until "all our prisoners are freed" and there is a ceasefire. US National Security Advisor Kirby said "Hamas agreed to allow

360-672: A building or structure in the Palestinian territories is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 2023 Israel%E2%80%93Hamas war Ongoing Gaza Strip : West Bank : Militants inside Israel: Israel : Hezbollah–Israel conflict Gaza–Israel conflict Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war Israel–Yemen conflict Nuclear program of Iran International incidents An armed conflict between Israel and Hamas -led Palestinian militant groups has been taking place in

450-554: A direct impact on climate change by increasing carbon emissions and destroying infrastructure. In October 2023 alone, the Israeli army dropped around 25,000 tons of munitions on the Gaza Strip, roughly 1.5 times the explosive force of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II . The climate cost of the first 60 days of Israel's military response was equivalent to burning at least 150,000 tonnes of coal. The emissions from

540-531: A lack of actions and political will. UNEP estimated that by March 2024, the total amount of debris had reached 22.9 million tonnes. By the end of April, this had risen to 37 million tonnes, an average of 300 kg of rubble per square metre, according to Pehr Lodhammar, the former head of the UN Mine Action Service in Iraq. Clearing is estimated to take 14 years. The rubble itself poses

630-413: A misfired Palestinian rocket as the cause, but stated that further investigation was required. Forensic Architecture 's investigation, as reported by The New York Times , Bloomberg News , BBC News , and El País , disputed Israel's account, concluding instead that the blast was the result of a munition fired from the direction of Israel. A second report by Forensic Architecture took into account

720-516: A part of the order, the IDF announced a six-hour window from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time on 13 October, for refugees to flee south along specified routes within the Gaza Strip. An explosion at 5:30 p.m. along one of the safe routes killed 70 Palestinians. Israel and Hamas blamed each other for the attack. The IDF said Hamas set up roadblocks to keep Gaza residents from evacuating south and caused traffic jams. Israeli officials stated this

810-483: A permanent 'buffer zone' around Gaza, where much of the agricultural land was located. Research by Forensic Architecture found that "along that engineered 'border,' sophisticated systems of fences and surveillance reinforce a military buffer zone". The IDF has claimed that it "does not intentionally harm agricultural land". In April 2024, the mayor of Beit Lahia stated Israel had destroyed 70 percent of northern Gaza's water wells, as well as "all agricultural crops in

900-501: A physical barrier and risk of injury, and it may contain harmful substances like asbestos, heavy metals, fire contaminants, unexploded ordnance, and hazardous chemicals. Solid waste is being dumped in informal sites, where hazardous substances can leach into the porous soil and potentially contaminate the aquifer. In June 2024, the United Nations estimated more than 330,000 tons of solid waste had accumulated in populated areas of

990-455: A senior commander on the scene. The nearby Indonesia Hospital 's surgical director said they had received 120 dead bodies and treated 280 wounded, the majority of them women and children. The attack resulted in several ambassador recalls. According to The New York Times at least two 2,000-pound bombs, the second largest type in Israel's arsenal, were used. On 31 October, Israel bombed

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1080-406: A six-story apartment building in central Gaza, killing at least 106 civilians including 54 children in what Human Rights Watch called an "apparent war crime." On 1 November, the first group of evacuees left Gaza for Egypt. 500 evacuees, comprising critically wounded and foreign nationals, would be evacuated over the course of several days, with 200 evacuees already waiting at the border crossing. On

1170-520: A temporary ceasefire agreement, providing for a four-day pause in hostilities to allow for the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza. The deal also provided for the release of approximately 150 Palestinian women and children incarcerated by Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office stated Israel's intention to continue the war. Following the introduction of a Qatari-brokered truce on 24 November, starting at 7:00 am Israel time , active fighting in

1260-560: A third of its tree cover and farmland , most of its schools and universities , hundreds of cultural landmarks , and at least a dozen cemeteries . Nearly all of the strip's 2.3 million Palestinian population have been forcibly displaced . Over 100,000 Israelis were internally displaced as of February 2024. Throughout the war, Israel assassinated several Hamas leaders in and outside of Gaza. The war continues to have significant regional and international repercussions. Large, primarily pro-Palestinian protests have taken place across

1350-658: A total blockade under pressure from US President Joe Biden and a deal was made on 19 October for Israel and Egypt to allow aid into Gaza. The first aid convoy after the start of the war entered Gaza on 21 October 2023, while fuel did not enter Gaza until November. On 13 October, the IDF called for the evacuation of all civilians in Gaza City to areas south of the Wadi Gaza within 24 hours. The Hamas Authority for Refugee Affairs responded by telling residents in northern Gaza to "remain steadfast in your homes and stand firm in

1440-552: Is a deliberate act of ecocide... the targeted farms and greenhouses are fundamental to local food production for a population already under a decades-long siege. The effects of this systematic agricultural destruction are exacerbated by other deliberate acts of deprivation of critical resources for Palestinian survival in Gaza". According to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court , it

1530-448: Is equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of New Zealand and more than 135 other countries and territories, including Sri Lanka , Lebanon and Uruguay . After 33 weeks of conflict, more than 70,000 homes in Gaza have been destroyed, leaving 1.7 million people crammed into overcrowded, unsanitary areas. By June 2024, Israeli forces had also destroyed water wells in northern Gaza, reportedly exacerbating near-famine conditions . By

1620-452: Is expected to have a long-term impact on the environment, especially affecting agricultural land. White phosphorus is harmful to human health, and when used contaminates soil, water, and the air. According to a policy analyst at Al-Shabaka , military debris will remain in the soil, land, sea, and in the bodies of Palestinians living in Gaza. The full scope of the environmental damage caused by weapons dropped on Gaza may never be known due to

1710-602: The Gaza Strip and Israel since 7 October 2023. It is the fifth war of the Gaza–Israel conflict since 2008, and the most significant military engagement in the region since the Yom Kippur War in 1973. It is the deadliest war for Palestinians in the history of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . The war began when Hamas-led militant groups launched a surprise attack on Israel on 7 October, which involved

1800-712: The International Court of Justice published in July 2024 affirmed the occupation as being illegal and said it violated Article 3 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination , which prohibits racial segregation and apartheid. The attacks took place during the Jewish holidays of Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret on Shabbat , and one day after

1890-470: The Netiv HaAsara massacre . In Sderot, gunmen targeted civilians and set houses ablaze. In Ofakim , hostages were taken during Hamas's deepest incursion. In Be'eri , Hamas militants took up to 50 people hostage . At least 325 people were killed and more injured at an outdoor music festival near Re'im and Hamas took at least 37 attendees hostage. Around 240 people were taken hostage during

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1980-890: The Norwegian Refugee Council , the shutdown of sewage treatment plants in October, following Israel's fuel blockade, resulted in more than 130,000 cubic meters of untreated sewage being discharged daily into the Mediterranean Sea , posing a significant environmental threat. Groundwater also has been contaminated by toxins and munitions. The U.N. Environment Programme stated the war had reversed Gaza's improvements with its water desalination and wastewater treatment facilities. Soils have been degraded by uprooting trees and contaminated by toxins, munitions, heavy bombing and demolitions. The air in Gaza has been polluted by smoke and particulates from bombing. Wars have

2070-682: The Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network for the Israeli Government to be investigated for the Rome Statute war crime of ecocide for "widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment". By January 2024, between 36% and 45% of Gaza's buildings — including homes, schools, mosques, hospitals, and shops — have been destroyed or damaged. Rebuilding Gaza's 100,000 damaged buildings using modern construction techniques will generate at least 30 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gasses. This

2160-426: The Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network has stated "What is happening is, for sure, ecocide... [It] is completely damaging the environment in Gaza for the long term, not only for the short term". The research project "No Traces of Life, Ecocide in Gaza 2023 – 2024" by research group Forensic Architecture at Goldsmiths, University of London, found that "The destruction of agricultural land and infrastructure in Gaza

2250-589: The Re'im music festival massacre . The Israeli police denied the Haaretz report. A subsequent Israeli investigation claimed that militants had been instructed not to run so that the air force would think they were Israelis. This deception worked for some time, but pilots began to realize the problem and ignore their restrictions. By around 9:00 am, some helicopters started laying down fire without prior authorization. A July 2024 Haaretz investigation revealed that

2340-465: The Red Cross access to these hostages" during the pause, which "didn't happen and is still not happening". The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said that although 240 Palestinian prisoners were released as part of the ceasefire deal, another 240 Palestinians were incarcerated. Released Palestinian prisoners reported mistreatment including beatings, overcrowding, food deprivation, and suspension of access to

2430-547: The "destruction of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad ". The Israel Electric Corporation , which supplies 80% of the Gaza Strip's electricity, cut off power to the area. This reduced Gaza's power supply from 120 MW to 20 MW, provided by power plants paid for by the Palestinian Authority. On 9 or 10 October, Hamas offered to release all civilian hostages held in Gaza if Israel would call off its planned invasion of

2520-469: The 50th anniversary of the start of the Yom Kippur War , which also began with a surprise attack on Israel. At around 6:30 a.m. IDT (UTC+03:00) on 7 October 2023, Hamas announced the start of what it called " Operation Al-Aqsa Flood ", stating it had fired over 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel within a span of 20 minutes. Israeli sources reported that at least 3,000 projectiles had been launched from Gaza. At least five people were killed by

2610-554: The 7 October attack was a calculated effort to create a "permanent" state of war and revive interest in the Palestinian cause. After the initial breach of the Gaza perimeter by Palestinian militants, it took hours for the IDF to start its counter-attack. The first helicopters sent to support the military were launched from the north of Israel, and arrived at the Gaza Strip an hour after fighting began. They encountered difficulty in determining which outposts and communities were occupied, and distinguishing between Palestinian militants and

2700-793: The 7,500 greenhouses around a third have been entirely destroyed, 90% have been destroyed by Israeli troops in the north of Gaza and around 40% in Khan Younis. Between 7 October and 21 March 48% of Gaza's tree cover has been lost or damaged by the Israeli military and by people trapped in Gaza cutting wood for cooking and heating due to the fuel blockade. Research by Forensic Architecture (the research group at Goldsmiths, University of London ) found that crops on Palestinian farms bordering Gaza's perimeter had been sprayed by airborne herbicides and had been regularly cleared by Israeli forces bulldozers. Farmers have been fired at by Israeli occupation forces snipers. Israel has indicated it wants to create

2790-436: The Gaza Strip ceased and some of the Israeli and foreign hostages were released by Hamas in exchange for the release of some of the Palestinian political prisoners held by Israel. The truce was announced for a period of four days but was extended for a longer period. From 24 to 30 November, Hamas released hostages and Israel released prisoners. On 27 November, Qatar announced that an agreement between Israel and Hamas to extend

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2880-417: The Gaza Strip, but the Israeli government rejected the offer. The IDF declared a "state of readiness for war", mobilized tens of thousands of army reservists , and declared a state of emergency for areas within 80 kilometers (50 mi) of Gaza. The Yamam counterterrorism unit was deployed, along with four new divisions, augmenting 31 existing battalions. Reservists were reported deployed in Gaza, in

2970-440: The Gaza Strip. The siege has resulted in the total collapse of Gaza's civil infrastructure; sewage treatment, waste disposal, water management, fuel supplies have all broken down. EcoPeace Middle East estimates that 44% of Gaza's gas, water, and sanitation facilities were damaged in the first three months of the war. The damage to water and sanitation infrastructure increases the risk of flooding during winter rains. According to

3060-480: The Gaza Strip. In a televised broadcast, Netanyahu said, "We are at war". He threatened to "turn all the places where Hamas is organized and hiding into cities of ruins", called Gaza "the city of evil", and urged its residents to leave. Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant conducted security assessments at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv . Overnight, Israel's Security Cabinet voted to act to bring about

3150-546: The Gaza strip contaminates soils and groundwater for the long term. This is caused through the munitions themselves and when damaged and destroyed buildings release hazardous materials including asbestos, fuel and industrial chemicals into the air, soil and groundwater. UNEP state: This is an extremely large amount of debris, especially for such a small area... components of the debris and rubble can contain harmful substances like asbestos, heavy metals, fire contaminants, unexploded ordnance, and hazardous chemicals. This statement

3240-612: The Gaza-Israel border , which were violently suppressed by Israel, whose forces killed hundreds and injured thousands of Palestinians by sniper fire. Soon after the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis began, Hamas' military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades , started planning the 7 October 2023 operation against Israel. According to diplomats, Hamas had repeatedly said in the months leading up to October 2023 that it did not want another military escalation in Gaza as it would worsen

3330-529: The IDF ordered the Hannibal Directive to be used, adding: "Haaretz does not know whether or how many civilians and soldiers were hit due to these procedures, but the cumulative data indicates that many of the kidnapped people were at risk, exposed to Israeli gunfire, even if they were not the target." At 7:18 a.m., an observation post reported someone had been kidnapped at the Erez crossing, close to

3420-467: The IDF released a review exonerating itself, but it left many at Kibbutz Be'eri unsatisfied and contradicted the testimony from one of the survivors, Yasmin Porat, who told Israel's Kan radio on 15 October that Hamas gunmen had not threatened the hostages and instead intended to negotiate with police for their safe return to Gaza. She said an Israeli police special unit had started the gun battle by firing upon

3510-476: The IDF's liaison office. At 6:40 p.m. military intelligence believed militants were intending to flee back to Gaza in an organized manner from near Kibbutz Be'eri, Kfar Azza and Kissufim. In response the army launched artillery at the border fence area, very close to some of these communities. Shells were also fired at the Erez border crossing shortly thereafter. The IDF said it was not aware of any civilians being hurt in these bombardments. 14 hostages were in

3600-507: The IDF's role in fostering uncertainty through misinformation. On 27 October, the IDF launched a large-scale, multi-pronged ground incursion into parts of northern Gaza. The IDF was building up a force of over 100,000 soldiers in the cities of Ashkelon , Sderot and Kiryat Gat . Clashes between Hamas and the IDF were reported near Beit Hanoun and Bureij . Israeli airstrikes targeted the area around al-Quds hospital , where around 14,000 civilians were believed to be sheltering in or near

3690-462: The IDF, and the ongoing conflict prevented independent on-site analysis. Palestinian statements that it was an Israeli airstrike were denied by the IDF, which stated that the explosion resulted from a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad . The PIJ denied any involvement. The cause of the explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital is contested. In the days after the blast, US, Canadian, French and UK defense and intelligence services concluded it

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3780-622: The Israel%E2%80%93Hamas war There has been extensive environmental damage caused by the ongoing Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip (itself a part of the Israel–Hamas war ), including the destruction of agricultural land, displacement of people, bombing of Gaza , the Israeli blockade , and famine in the Gaza Strip . By March 2024, nearly half of tree cover and farmland in Gaza had been destroyed. Israeli bombardment and

3870-449: The Israeli army has created 37 million tonnes of debris and hazardous material, much of which contains human remains and tens of thousands of bombs. In June 2024, northern Gaza was described as a "wasteland", unable to sustain life. The size and lasting impact of the systematic and intentional destruction of agriculture in Gaza have led to calls by the research group Forensic Architecture at Goldsmiths, University of London , and

3960-475: The Israeli military has dropped tens of thousands of bombs on Gaza, with 50% to 62% of all buildings damaged or destroyed by January 2024. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that the bombing by Israel has created 37 million tonnes of debris and hazardous material, much of which contains human remains and bombs. Human Rights Watch has confirmed that Israeli forces used white phosphorus in Gaza on 11 October 2023. The use of white phosphorus in Gaza

4050-630: The Middle East . Additionally, the Yemeni Houthi movement have engaged in attacks in the Red Sea on commercial vessels allegedly linked to Israel, incurring a US-led military response . The ongoing exchange of strikes between Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel escalated into an Israeli invasion of Lebanon on 1 October 2024. The 1948 Palestine war saw the establishment of Israel over most of what had been Mandatory Palestine , with

4140-592: The Red Cross. Released prisoners were forbidden to speak with the media and threatened with fines. Israel adopted a grid system to order precise evacuations within Gaza, released a map, and dropped leaflets with a QR code . The grid-based evacuation system was criticized as inaccessible and confusing due to the lack of electricity and internet connectivity in Gaza. Some evacuation instructions were vague or contradictory, and Israel struck "safe" areas it had told people to evacuate to. Environmental impact of

4230-541: The West Bank, and along borders with Lebanon and Syria. Residents near Gaza were asked to stay inside, while civilians in southern and central Israel were "required to stay next to shelters". The southern region of Israel was closed to civilian movement, and roads were closed around Gaza and Tel Aviv. While Ben Gurion Airport and Ramon Airport remained operational, multiple airlines cancelled flights to and from Israel. Israel Railways suspended service in parts of

4320-480: The agriculture and wildlife". Reuters has described the damage done to Gaza by Israeli as turning it into a 'wasteland'. The head of the UN Mine Action Programme noted that recycling infrastructure will be crucial to reconstruction. Despite the massive clean-up required, UNMAS has only $ 5 million in funding. Before 7 October 2023, around 170 km (66 sq mi) of the Gaza strip

4410-675: The annual emissions of over 33 countries and territories. The figure could be higher as defence forces are not bound to report their carbon emissions as it may undermine national security. Researchers from the Lancaster University also highlighted the role of allies in Gaza's environmental destruction. By December 4, 2023, 200 American cargo flights delivered 10,000 tonnes of military equipment to Israel, consuming 50 million liters of aviation fuel and emitting 133,000 tonnes of CO 2 —more than Grenada 's annual emissions. UNEP has found that heavy bombardment of populated areas like

4500-422: The attacks , mostly civilians. Captives in Gaza included children, festivalgoers, peace activists, caregivers, elderly people, and soldiers. Hamas militants also reportedly engaged in mutilation, torture, and sexual and gender-based violence . The 7 October attack was described as "an intelligence failure for the ages" and a " failure of imagination " on the part of the Israeli government. A BBC report on

4590-591: The blockade as a form of collective punishment . Due to the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip , UNRWA reported that 81% of people were living below the poverty level in 2023, with 63% being food insecure and dependent on international assistance. Since 2007, Israel and Hamas, along with other Palestinian militant groups based in Gaza, have engaged in conflict, including in four wars in 2008–2009 , 2012 , 2014 , and 2021 . These conflicts killed approximately 6,400 Palestinians and 300 Israelis . In 2018–2019, there were large weekly organized protests near

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4680-544: The blockade have led to a total collapse of Gaza's civil infrastructure, including sewage treatment, waste disposal, water management, and fuel supplies. Water has been polluted by 130,000 cubic metres of sewage being discharged into the sea every day due to Israel cutting off fuel supplies. Groundwater has been contaminated by toxins and munitions and air has been polluted by smoke and particulates from bombing. Soils have been degraded by uprooting trees and contaminated by toxins, munitions, heavy bombing and demolitions. Bombing by

4770-562: The border fence in five other places. Hamas militants also carried out an amphibious landing in Zikim . Militants killed civilians at Nir Oz , Be'eri , and Netiv HaAsara , and other agricultural communities , where they took hostages and set fire to homes. 52 civilians were killed in the Kfar Aza massacre , 108 in the Be'eri massacre (a loss of 10% of the kibbutz 's population) and 15 in

4860-473: The broader context of Israeli occupation as a cause of the war. The Associated Press wrote that Palestinians are "in despair over a never-ending occupation in the West Bank and suffocating blockade of Gaza". Several human rights organizations, including Amnesty International , B'Tselem and Human Rights Watch have likened the Israeli occupation to apartheid , although supporters of Israel dispute this characterization. However, an advisory opinion by

4950-534: The country and replaced some routes with temporary bus routes, while cruise ships removed the ports of Ashdod and Haifa from their itineraries. Following the surprise attack, the Israeli Air Force conducted airstrikes that they said targeted Hamas compounds, command centers, tunnels, and other targets. Israel employed its artificial intelligence Habsora ("The Gospel") software to automatically generate targets to be attacked. Two days after

5040-469: The destruction as domicide . After a trip to Gaza City, Arwa Damon , the founder of INARA, a humanitarian aid organization, stated Gaza was "totally and completely uninhabitable". Due to a combination of destruction of agricultural land, displacement of people, bombing and the Israeli blockade , the Gaza Strip is facing risk of imminent famine. Most of the population in Gaza are at imminent risk of starvation. The levels are unevenly distributed across

5130-475: The destruction as systematic and for the Gaza's agriculture, stating "What's left is devastation... an area that is no longer livable". They said: The targeted farms and greenhouses are fundamental to local food production for a population already under a decades-long siege.... the effects of this systematic agricultural destruction are exacerbated by other deliberate acts of deprivation of critical resources for Palestinian survival in Gaza. Experts warn that

5220-461: The destruction in Gaza have led to calls for the Israeli Government to be investigated for the war crime for ecocide under the Rome Statute for "widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment". Saeed Bagheri, a lecturer in international law at the University of Reading , stated that there were sufficient grounds to investigate the damage caused to Gaza's environment, while

5310-506: The end of May, more than 140 landfills were scattered across the 41 km-long Gaza Strip. The heaps have grown so large that their vast, chaotic shapes can be seen on satellite images from hundreds of kilometres above the earth. "Everywhere you look, there is a pile of trash," said UNRWA spokeswoman Louise Wateridge. Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network stated "The Israeli occupation has completely damaged all elements of life and all environmental elements in Gaza – they completely destroyed

5400-504: The entry of food and fuel, saying "We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly". This drew criticism from Human Rights Watch (HRW) who described the order as "abhorrent" and as a "call to commit a war crime" and accused Israel of using white phosphorus munitions over Gaza in violation of international law. On 10 October, an Israeli airstrike on a house in Deir al-Balah killed 18 people. Gallant backed down from implementing

5490-615: The exception of two separated territories that became known as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip , which were held by Jordan and Egypt respectively. Following the 1967 Six-Day War , Israel occupied the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The upcoming period witnessed two popular uprisings by Palestinians against the Israeli occupation ; the First and Second Intifadas in 1987 and 2000 respectively, with

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5580-619: The face of this disgusting psychological war waged by the occupation". The statement by Israel faced widespread backlash with numerous agencies such as Doctors Without Borders , the World Health Organization , the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and others condemning it as "outrageous" and "impossible" while calling for an immediate reversal of the order. As

5670-585: The first two months of the Gaza war exceeded the annual carbon footprint of over 20 climate-vulnerable nations. Over 99% of the 281,000 metric tonnes of CO 2 equivalent generated in the two months following the October 7 Hamas attack was due to Israel's aerial bombardment and ground invasion, according to UK and US researchers. Estimates do not account for war infrastructure built by both Israel and Hamas, including Hamas' tunnel network and Israel's Iron Wall . With these included, total emissions increase to 450,000 metric tonnes of CO 2 equivalent, more than

5760-413: The hospital. Associated Press reported that Israeli airstrikes also destroyed roads leading to Al-Shifa hospital , making it increasingly difficult to reach. The following day, the IDF struck Jabalia refugee camp , killing 50 and wounding 150 Palestinians. Israel said a senior Hamas commander and dozens of militants in an underground tunnel complex were among those killed. Hamas denied the presence of

5850-492: The house of Pessi Cohen at Kibbutz Be'eri as the IDF attacked it, with 13 of them killed. Former Israeli Air Force officer Colonel Nof Erez said: "This was a mass Hannibal. It was tons and tons of openings in the fence, and thousands of people in every type of vehicle, some with hostages and some without." ABC News (Australia) said that not only soldiers but also Israeli civilians were targeted, citing testimonies from two incidents at Kibbutz Be'eri and Nir Oz. Six months later

5940-523: The house, catching "five or six" kibbutz residents outside in "very, very heavy crossfire". In the interview, she was asked: "So our forces may have shot them?" "Undoubtedly," she replied." The attack appeared to have been a complete surprise to the Israelis. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency gathering of security authorities, and the IDF launched Operation Swords of Iron in

6030-422: The humanitarian crisis that occurred after the 2021 conflict. Hamas officials stated that the attack was a response to the Israeli occupation , blockade of the Gaza Strip , Israeli settler violence against Palestinians, restrictions on the movement of Palestinians , and imprisonment of thousands of Palestinians , whom Hamas sought to release by taking Israeli hostages. Numerous commentators have identified

6120-454: The intelligence failure commented that "it must have taken extraordinary levels of operational security by Hamas". Israeli officials later anonymously reported to Axios that the IDF and Shin Bet had detected abnormal movements by Hamas the day before the attack, but decided to wait for additional intelligence before raising the military's alert level. They also did not inform political leaders of

6210-707: The intelligence reports. A briefing in The Economist noted that "the assault dwarf[ed] all other mass murders of Israeli civilians", reasoning that "the last time before October 7th that this many Jews were murdered on a single day was during the Holocaust ." Hamas stated that its attack was a response to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements , rising Israeli settler violence and recent escalations at Al-Aqsa . Intelligence and security officials from multiple Western countries, along with Hamas political officials, claimed that

6300-540: The latter's end seeing Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has been governed by Hamas , an Islamist militant group, while the West Bank remained under the control of the Fatah -led Palestinian Authority . After Hamas' takeover, Israel imposed a blockade of the Gaza Strip , that significantly damaged its economy . The blockade was justified by Israel citing security concerns, but international rights groups have characterized

6390-556: The north. One of the airstrikes killed a senior Hamas military commander Ayman Nofal . In the afternoon, an Israeli strike hit a UNRWA school in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp , killing six and injuring 12. Late in the evening, an explosion occurred in the parking lot of the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in the center of Gaza City, killing hundreds. The cause of the explosion was disputed by Hamas and

6480-625: The region, 20% of households were experiencing extreme food shortages, essentially starvation, in May 2024 Half of Gaza's population is expected to face catastrophic hunger by mid-July, with all 2.2 million people unable to meet their food needs. The WHO Director General has described the situation as “beyond catastrophic”. Humanitarian efforts were hampered by military action and access denials. Convoys often required police escorts due to attacks by armed groups and hungry crowds. Some UN food convoys were hit by Israeli army fire. On 21 May, UNRWA announced

6570-523: The region, with the north hardest hit by ongoing military action and a chaotic security situation. In May, the head of the World Food Programme described the area as experiencing a "full-blown famine" that was moving southwards. The IPC report in March 2024 said that around 210,000 people in the north were facing catastrophic levels of hunger. A senior WFP spokesman claimed that, overall in

6660-871: The rocket attacks. Explosions were reported in areas surrounding the strip and in cities in the Sharon plain including Gedera , Herzliya , Tel Aviv , and Ashkelon . Hamas employed tactics such as using aerial drones to disable Israeli observation posts, paragliders for infiltration into Israel, and motorcycles, which was unusual for Hamas. In the evening, Hamas launched another barrage of 150 rockets towards Israel, with explosions reported in Yavne , Givatayim , Bat Yam , Beit Dagan , Tel Aviv, and Rishon LeZion. Simultaneously, around 3,000 Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from Gaza using trucks, motorcycles, bulldozers, speedboats, and paragliders. They took over checkpoints at Kerem Shalom and Erez , and created openings in

6750-484: The same day, the Jabalia refugee camp was bombed for a second time. On 3 November, Israel struck an ambulance convoy directly in front of Al-Shifa Hospital, killing at least 15 people and injuring 60 more. The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said one of its ambulances was struck "by a missile fired by the Israeli forces" about two meters from the entrance to al-Shifa hospital. The PRCS said another ambulance

6840-404: The situated testimony of doctors, survivors, and journalists on the ground, as well as photogrammetry and 3D reconstruction, and gave additional credibility to the incident being an Israeli attack instead of a misfired Palestinian rocket. In April 2024 The New Yorker , citing investigations from Earshot and Forensic Architecture, highlighted doubts about a Palestinian rocket involvement and noted

6930-441: The situation in northern Gaza will have lasting consequences, particularly for newborn babies and pregnant women, even if there is a lull in the fighting. The Dutch peace organisation PAX has stated: "War generally collapses everything. In Gaza, it's making people exposed to additional risks from pollution, from polluted groundwater. It's the destruction of anything the civilian population depends on." The size and lasting impact of

7020-445: The soldiers and civilians on the ground. The helicopter crews initially sustained a high rate of fire, attacking approximately 300 targets in four hours. Later on the crews began to slow down the attacks and carefully select targets. According to Haaretz ' s journalist, a police source said that a police investigation indicated an IDF helicopter which had fired on Hamas militants "apparently also hit some festival participants" in

7110-536: The stated objectives of destroying Hamas and freeing hostages. Since the start of the Israeli invasion, over 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed , more than half of them women and children . Israel's tightened blockade cut off basic necessities and attacks on infrastructure have destroyed Gaza's healthcare system and caused a severe hunger crisis, with a high risk of famine persisting as of November 2024 . By early 2024, Israeli forces had destroyed or damaged over half of Gaza's houses, at least

7200-487: The surprise attack, Israel said that 426 targets had been hit, including Beit Hanoun , homes of Hamas officials, a mosque, and the Watan Tower, an internet infrastructure hub. Israel also rescued two hostages before declaring a state of war for the first time since the 1973 Yom Kippur War . On 9 October, Defense Minister Gallant announced a "total" blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off electricity and blocking

7290-507: The suspension of food distributions in Rafah due to the lack of supplies and increasing insecurity. Israel has been accused of obstructing aid to northern Gaza. The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Human Rights Watch activists claimed that Israel was "provoking famine" as a weapon of war. Israeli officials have rejected these accusations. The research group Forensic Architecture at Goldsmiths, University of London have described

7380-645: The town which is considered the primary food basket for the Strip". In June 2024, UNOSAT , the United Nation's satellite imagery agency, stated 57 percent of Gaza's permanent crop fields showed significant declines in density and health. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization , the damage to Gaza's agricultural lands has impacted its food sovereignty . This damage grew to 67.6 percent of croplands by October 2024. Between 7 October 2023 and April 2024,

7470-584: The truce by two days had been reached. Both Israel and Hamas accused each other of violating the truce on 28 November. On 30 November, in a "last-minute agreement", Hamas released eight hostages in exchange for the release of 30 imprisoned Palestinians and a one-day truce extension. The truce expired on 1 December, as Israel and Hamas blamed each other for failing to agree on an extension. The disagreement centered on "how to define soldiers versus civilians and how many Palestinian prisoners Israel would release for its hostages". The remaining Israeli hostages include

7560-505: The world, calling for a ceasefire . The International Court of Justice is reviewing a case accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza , while the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders. The United States has given Israel extensive military aid and vetoed multiple UN Security Council ceasefire resolutions. Groups of the Axis of Resistance have attacked American military bases in

7650-420: Was caused by an errant Palestinian rocket. Channel 4 news cast doubt on Israeli claims of a misfired Hamas rocket being responsible for the blast. The Associated Press , CNN , The Economist , The Guardian , and The Wall Street Journal concluded a Palestinian missile was the most likely explanation for the blast. In late November, an analysis by Human Rights Watch indicated the evidence pointed to

7740-410: Was done to use civilians as "human shields", which Hamas denied. A number of countries and international organizations condemned what they called Hamas's use of hospitals and civilians as human shields . On 17 October, Israel bombed areas of southern Gaza. Gazan Ministry of Health officials reported heavy overnight bombing killing over 70 people, including families who had evacuated from Gaza City in

7830-472: Was echoed by the UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment, David Boyd who said that Israeli military operations had disastrous consequences for the environment and climate in Gaza due to wide spread pollution, loss of biodiversity, wide spread contaminations and continuation of the climate crisis. The UNHCR Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, Balakrishnan Rajagopal and other experts have described

7920-461: Was farms and orchards, 47% of Gaza's total land area. By the end of February 2024 satellite data showed that the Israeli military had destroyed more than 65 km of farms and orchards (38% of the total). Tractors, tanks and vehicles were used by Israeli forces to uproot the orchards and fields of crops. In total 2,000 agricultural sites, including farms and greenhouses had destroyed and have often been replaced with Israeli military earthworks. Of

8010-437: Was fired on about a kilometer from the hospital. The next day, a UNRWA spokeswoman confirmed reports that Israel had conducted an airstrike against a UN-run school in the Jabalia refugee camp, killing 15 people. On 18 November Israeli strikes killed over 80 people in Jabalia refugee camp. Israel also attacked a clearly marked Médecins Sans Frontières convoy, killing two aid workers. On 22 November, Israel and Hamas reached

8100-469: Was in response to Israel's continued occupation , blockade of Gaza , expansion of settlements , Israel's disregard for international law , as well as alleged threats to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the general plight of Palestinians. After clearing militants from its territory, Israel launched one of the most destructive bombing campaigns in modern history and invaded Gaza on 27 October with

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