There’s a conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza that has lasted for 100 days. It started when gunmen from the Palestinian group attacked in southern Israel. In response, Israel launched a strong military campaign, causing significant casualties among Palestinians.
Following is a timeline of the war between Israel and Hamas:
On October 7, 2023, gunmen from Hamas went into southern Israel from Gaza, causing a lot of harm. They killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages back to Gaza. Israel, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, responded by calling it a war. Retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza started, and a total siege was imposed on the area, which is trapped between Israel and Egypt.
On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah in Lebanon started shooting rockets into Israel. This continued during the war, leading Israel to respond with counter-strikes.
On October 13, 2023, Israel asked people in Gaza City, where more than a million live, to leave and go south. In the following weeks, they pushed for everyone in the north to leave too. Many Gazans had to escape their homes multiple times as Israeli forces advanced.
On October 17, an explosion at al-Ahli al-Arabi Baptist hospital in Gaza City caused anger in the Arab world. Palestinians said hundreds died, blaming it on an Israeli airstrike. Israel and later Washington said it was from a misfiring Palestinian rocket. This incident overshadowed a visit by U.S. President Joe Biden the next day, leading to the cancellation of his planned summit with Arab leaders. Biden supported Israel’s right to defend itself but also urged Israelis not to let anger blind them.
On October 19, 2023, a U.S. navy ship stopped missiles and drones from Yemen headed towards Israel over the Red Sea. Yemen’s Houthi group, like Hamas, is friends with Iran. They continued launching occasional long-range attacks on Israel and Red Sea ships, saying it’s to support Gaza.
October 21: Diplomatic hurdles finally cleared as aid trucks roll through Rafah border into Gaza. Critical shortages persist, with food, water, medicines, and fuel in dire need.
October 27: Israel launches a sweeping ground offensive in Gaza, targeting the north, with a commitment to free hostages and eliminate Hamas. Tensions escalate.
October 31: Tragedy strikes as 15 Israeli soldiers lose their lives in intense Gaza fighting, marking the military’s deadliest day of the conflict.
November 1: Evacuations commence through Rafah for foreign passport-holders and those requiring urgent medical attention. However, the majority of Gaza residents remain trapped in the worsening humanitarian crisis.
Rockets are launched by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, in Gaza, on October 7, 2023.
In a series of tense developments, on November 9, Israel reported a drone strike from Syrian territory hitting its southern city of Eilat. Responding swiftly, the Israeli military targeted the militia responsible, later expanding the conflict to include Syria in the Gaza war. Fast forward to
November 15, Israeli troops made a controversial entry into Gaza’s largest hospital, Al Shifa in Gaza City, alleging it harbored an underground Hamas headquarters. Medical staff countered, claiming patient deaths resulted from a lack of power and supplies during a siege. Subsequently, all hospitals serving the northern half of Gaza ceased functioning within weeks.
November 21 witnessed a brief respite in the Israel-Hamas conflict, marked by a four-day truce for the exchange of hostages and increased aid. Sadly, by
December 1, the truce faltered, leading to a significant Israeli ground assault in southern Gaza on
December 4. The conflict expanded, covering the entire enclave and exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.
By December 12, President Biden altered the tone, criticizing Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” and highlighting a shift in U.S. rhetoric. Tragically, on
December 15, Israeli forces mistakenly killed three hostages, sparking heightened criticism within Israel. The war’s impact extended beyond Gaza, with an Iranian-backed militia launching a long-range attack on Israel from Iraq on
December 22. The evolving situation continues to elicit global concern and scrutiny.
As of January 1, 2024, Israel has initiated a strategic withdrawal of troops from Gaza, introducing a more targeted approach set to span several months. The shift commences in the northern regions of Gaza, while fierce confrontations persist in the southern areas.
LJanuary 11, U.S. and British military forces launch numerous airstrikes across Yemen in response to Houthi assaults on Red Sea shipping. Subsequently, the United States conducts another strike in Yemen the following day. The Houthis report five casualties in the initial strikes, vowing retaliation and the continuation of their assaults on shipping.
Dhairya Saraswat 
Harshit Tokas