On October 7, 2023, at 6:30 a.m., Hamas launched a massive barrage of 4,300 rockets at Israel. Moments later, more than 6,000 terrorists and looters breached the border and surged deep into the country. They committed mass murders of everyone in their path, as well as rapes, kidnappings, and numerous crimes against humanity. In less than a day, more than 1,200 people were killed, including 134 foreigners, while 251 were abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip.
Yahya Sinwar (former head of Hamas) had hoped that neighboring countries and other terrorist groups would join the attack, after which Israel and its entire population would be destroyed. But his plan failed: Hezbollah didn't launch its attack in the north until the following day, October 8, and Fatah chose not to participate.
The tragedy of October 7 marked the beginning of a major war that escalated into a large-scale conflict in the Middle East and continues to affect the entire world. Three years later, we can take stock of the situation so far:
- All of the hostages have been accounted for, with 168 returned alive and the remainder returned deceased.
- 87,286 Israelis have been recognized as victims of terrorist attacks or combat operations during the war. The IDF and the police suffered 1,318 fatalities.
- More than 70,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip. At least 25,000 have been identified as Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants. The military leadership and 4,000 of the 6,000 terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre have been eliminated. The IDF continues to control 64% of the Gaza Strip. Hamas refuses to accept the peace plan and hand over control to international forces.
- More than 2,500 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed. The IDF continues to control the territory along the Lebanon-Israel border.
- The war sparked numerous conflicts, including the overthrow of Assad, the war with the Houthis, and the Israeli-US-Iranian wars. The balance of power in the region has shifted. Iranian proxies have been weakened, and Israel has drawn closer to many Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia. Israel severed ties with 5 countries, while 18 countries recognized the State of Palestine.
- Israel's defense industry has experienced explosive growth. In 2025, Israel signed military contracts worth $19.2 billion for arms exports, setting a new all-time record.
- The two-state solution has been discarded. As of 2023, about 34% of Israelis supported ceding Israeli land in exchange for peace, but by 2026, only 16% were open to the idea. Yair Lapid, Benny Gantz, Gideon Saar, and many leaders of the anti-Netanyahu opposition have drastically changed their rhetoric and now categorically reject the two-state solution.
- The large-scale information war against Israel has led to the greatest surge in antisemitism since World War II. The number of attacks on Jewish people and their property worldwide has increased 4.5 times.
On October 7, 2023, at 6:30 a.m., Hamas launched a massive barrage of 4,300 rockets at Israel. Moments later, more than 6,000 terrorists and looters breached the border and surged deep into the country. They committed mass murders of everyone in their path, as well as rapes, kidnappings, and numerous crimes against humanity. In less than a day, more than 1,200 people were killed, including 134 foreigners, while 251 were abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip.
Yahya Sinwar (former head of Hamas) had hoped that neighboring countries and other terrorist groups would join the attack, after which Israel and its entire population would be destroyed. But his plan failed: Hezbollah didn't launch its attack in the north until the following day, October 8, and Fatah chose not to participate.
The tragedy of October 7 marked the beginning of a major war that escalated into a large-scale conflict in the Middle East and continues to affect the entire world. Three years later, we can take stock of the situation so far:
- All of the hostages have been accounted for, with 168 returned alive and the remainder returned deceased.
- 87,286 Israelis have been recognized as victims of terrorist attacks or combat operations during the war. The IDF and the police suffered 1,318 fatalities.
- More than 70,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip. At least 25,000 have been identified as Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants. The military leadership and 4,000 of the 6,000 terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre have been eliminated. The IDF continues to control 64% of the Gaza Strip. Hamas refuses to accept the peace plan and hand over control to international forces.
- More than 2,500 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed. The IDF continues to control the territory along the Lebanon-Israel border.
- The war sparked numerous conflicts, including the overthrow of Assad, the war with the Houthis, and the Israeli-US-Iranian wars. The balance of power in the region has shifted. Iranian proxies have been weakened, and Israel has drawn closer to many Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia. Israel severed ties with 5 countries, while 18 countries recognized the State of Palestine.
- Israel's defense industry has experienced explosive growth. In 2025, Israel signed military contracts worth $19.2 billion for arms exports, setting a new all-time record.
- The two-state solution has been discarded. As of 2023, about 34% of Israelis supported ceding Israeli land in exchange for peace, but by 2026, only 16% were open to the idea. Yair Lapid, Benny Gantz, Gideon Saar, and many leaders of the anti-Netanyahu opposition have drastically changed their rhetoric and now categorically reject the two-state solution.
- The large-scale information war against Israel has led to the greatest surge in antisemitism since World War II. The number of attacks on Jewish people and their property worldwide has increased 4.5 times.
