As October 7 marks the first anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war, protests are being held in major cities around the world with thousands taking to streets urging for an end to bloodshed in Gaza and the wider Middle East. Ongoing demonstrations have about 40,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marching through central London while thousands flocking together in Paris, Rome, Manila, Cape Town and New York City. In the US, protestors are agitating against the country’s support towards its ally Israel in military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon. The anniversary coincides with a time when there is a lingering fear over whether an all-out war will break out with Israel’s attack on Lebanon and the escalating conflict.
In the latest attack against Hamas, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 24 people, injured 93 others after bombarding a mosque and a school, near the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, sheltering displaced people in the Gaza strip on Sunday morning. In its own statement, the Israeli military said it conducted “precise strikes on Hamas” who were operating within command and control centres embedded in Ibn Rushd School and the Shuhada al-Aqsa Mosque in the area of Deir al Balah.
Children take refuge inside the Shifa Hospital during the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza City on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. (AP Photo)
What’s the death toll so far?
Since October 7, 2023, when Palestinain Hamas militants attacked Israel, as many as 1,200 Israelis have been killed and 250 have been held hostages, as per Israeli tallies while nearly 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in the attacks by Israel, as per Gaza’s health ministry. About 2.3 million people have been displaced in the war-torn regions causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which the Israel has denied.
One year ago
On October 7 last year, the Palestinian militants Hamas launched its attack — one of the biggest in years — against Israel by firing a barrage of rockets from Gaza and fighters barging through its borders. Subsequently, gunbattles were reported between groups of Palestinian fighters and security forces in southern Israel. Israel said it was on a war footing and launched its offensive against Hamas.
Later, Israel ordered its residents of Gaza city, where more than 1 million people live, to move south and began to evacuate people from northern Gaza, beginning a process that would uproot nearly the entire population of the Gaza Strip.
The unprecedented attack on the Nova music festival was followed by a declaration of war by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Hamas. He went on to order airstrikes on the Gaza strip, along with a total siege of the territory. As the fighting continued, Israel cuts the supply of electricity, food and fuel to Gaza. (AP photo)
Houthi attacks in Red Sea and US interception
Back on October 19, last year, a US Navy warship intercepted missiles and drones launched from Yemen towards Israel. Yemen’s Houthi movement, a militant group and Iranian ally, have been launching attacks against Red Sea shipping in what it calls extension of solidarity with Gaza. The BBC report said the US, UK and 12 other nations launched Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect Red Sea shipping lanes against the Houthis, earlier this year. In the aftermath of strikes launched by the US military on the group in Yemen, several explosions were reported in the country’s main cities, including the capital Sanaa, a day ago.
Evacuation and Rafah border crossing
While bloodshed continued on both sides, Rafah border was opened for aid trucks when food, water, medicines and fuel ran out. The humanitarian crisis further worsened in the coming days with even seven workers of World Central Kitchen been killed in Israeli strikes in April this year. On November 1, last year, a first group of injured evacuees from Gaza crossed into Egypt under a Qatari-mediated deal. As per the deal between Egypt, Israel and Hamas, a number of foreigners and critically wounded people were allowed to leave the besieged territory.
Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians over Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo)
An estimate of 7,000 foreign passport-holders and people in need of urgent medical treatment were able to flee while a vast majority of Gazans could not leave. The Rafah crossing is the main entrance and exit point to the tiny Palestinian enclave from Egypt. The border is controlled by Egypt and is the centre of international negotiations as its the only entry point for relief supplies.
Al Shifa hospital attacked
Al shifa hospital
Al-Shifa hospital, Gaza’s biggest hospital, came under the siege by Israel on November 15, last year, leaving newborn babies dead from cuts in power and supplies. About 650 patients and 5000-7000 displaced civilians were trapped inside the hospital, which was under constant fire from snipers and drones, as per Hamas. After power supply went out, as many as 40 patients died including three premature babies. The six-storey hospital, a cornerstone of Gaza’s healthcare system, served as a shelter for those displaced by fighting and incessant Israeli bombing.
Ceasefire negotiations and four-day temporary truce
After about 48 days of fighting, Israel government and Hamas agreed for a four-day temporary paus in fighting and release 50 of the over over 200 hostages being held in Gaza in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. The truce was mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States. Israel has rejected calls for a full ceasefire as benefitting Hamas, a position backed by the United States.
Later in June this year, the UN Security Council approved its first resolution endorsing a cease-fire plan. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept the plan, but he has been skeptical of the deal, saying Israel is still committed to destroying Hamas. Hamas said it welcomed the adoption of the resolution and was ready to work with mediators in indirect negotiations with Israel to implement it.
During the ceasefire talks held in Cairo in August this year, both sides failed to reach an agreement. A senior US official, however, described the talks as “constructive”, saying they were conducted in a spirit on all sides to reach “a final and implementable agreement”.
Iran’s top military official killed
On April 1, this year, Israeli strikes on Iran’s consulate in Syria left at least 11 people dead including Brig Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the highest-ranking Iranian military official. Zahedi was the senior commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Following this, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran will make Israel “regret” the daylight attack on the diplomatic mission, carried out as its war on Gaza rages, according to Al Jazeera. In few weeks, Iran, in retaliation, launched an aerial attack on Israel using “more than 300 threats” including cruise and ballistic missiles, rockets, and explosive drones, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said.
Rafah attacked
In May this year, after Israel refrained from a peace deal with Hamas mediated by Egypt and Qatar, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched an operation in Rafah. Israel claimed it aimed to completely “eliminate” Hamas and that some of its much-criticised actions – such as sending forces inside Gaza’s hospitals – have been against hidden Hamas targets.
What International Court of Justice said
On July 19, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem violated international law, and its presence in Palestinian territories should come to an end “as soon as possible”. The most widely accepted definition of occupation comes from Article 42 of the “Hague Convention (IV) respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land and its annex”, 1907. It says that a “territory is considered occupied when it is actually placed under the authority of the hostile army”. Importantly, an occupation must only be temporary, and cannot involve any transfer of sovereignty to the occupying power.
Pagers, walkie-talkies explode in Lebanon, Nasrallah killed
On September 18, a slew of pagers used by Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, exploded leaving 12, including civilians dead. The next day, in a second wave of attack believed to have been carried out by Israel, walkie-talkies and solar equipment exploded in Beirut, leaving at least 20 people dead.
People gather outside the American University hospital after the arrival of several people who were wounded by exploding handheld pagers, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Later, in a series of missile strikes launched in Lebanon by Israel, Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, was killed on September 27. Nasrallah, who led the militant group for more than 32 years, played a key role in building the group and was one of the most influential and best-known figures in the Middle East. Revolutionary Guards deputy Commander Abbas Nilforoushan was killed in Israeli strikes a week ago while Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in July this year.
Boys scouts carry a picture of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during the funeral of Hezbollah member Ali Mohamed Chalbi, after hand-held radios and pagers used by Hezbollah detonated across Lebanon, in Kfar Melki, Lebanon September 19, 2024. (REUTERS Photo)
In retaliation, Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel on October 1 firing 200 ballistic missiles, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s advanced defense systems. The Israeli Prime Minister in a stern warning to Iran said that the latter committed a “big mistake” by launching attacks on Tel Aviv and vowed to retaliate against Iran for its missile attack.
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