On October 7, 2023, the Jewish world woke up to headlines that would shape the next twelve months. An unexpected attack by Hamas militants stirred conflict in the Middle East, causing mass destruction in its wake. One year later, we must rethink what occurred and answer the ongoing question of “What will happen next?”
At 6:29 in the morning on Simchat Torah, Hamas militants fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel in the span of 20 minutes. Simultaneously, an estimated 3,000 terrorists stormed the border between Israel and Gaza, killing and kidnapping civilians in a number of Kibbutzim, Moshavim, and the Nova Festival. On that devastating day, approximately 251 people were taken hostage, and 1,181 people were brutally murdered. Oct. 7 is now considered the third deadliest terrorist attack in modern history, as well as the deadliest act of violence launched against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
The captives brought to Gaza include a diverse range of people. Children, parents, Israelis, foreigners, men, and women were and still are being tortured, beaten, and abused. The youngest hostage, Kfir Bibas, was nine months old when he was taken captive, and is now one year old. The oldest hostage, Shlomo Mantzur, is 86 years old.
After the events of October 7, the Israeli Defense Forces wasted no time in retaliating; Hamas, with the help of Hezbollah, has been launching rockets onto Israeli territory, many of which have been intercepted. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 41,595 Palestinians have been killed as of September 29, 2024. In preparation to send their ground troops into Gaza, Israel called for an evacuation of northern Gaza in order to spare its citizens. On October 27, 2023, Israeli forces entered the Gaza Strip by foot with only one goal in mind: eradicating Hamas.
On November 24, Israel and Hamas entered a temporary ceasefire. The initial agreement, led by the state of Qatar, lasted four days, and ordered the release of 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. This was followed by a two-day extension to the ceasefire, with the promise that 20 hostages would be released in exchange for 60 Palestinian prisoners, and then, a “last-minute agreement” where Hamas released eight hostages for 30 Palestinian prisoners. The terror organization broke the deal by December 1.
On January 1, Israel withdrew its troops from Northern Gaza and began to advance into Central Gaza. After fighting in Central Gaza, the IDF advanced to Southern Gaza, namely the cities of Rafah and Khan Yunis.
Israel is not only fighting a war in Gaza, but on six other fronts: the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen. Since October 8, 2023, Hezbollah has been shooting rockets towards Israel. While the death toll has been relatively low, some attacks, such as the Majdal Shams attack, have killed as many as 12 people per airstrike.
On September 17, 2024, Israel caused the explosions of the pagers of thousands of Hezbollah terrorists. On September 27, the IDF killed Hasan Nasrallah, the organization’s leader, in an airstrike. Israel’s ground troops have been fighting in Lebanon since October 1, and faced tensions with the Yemenite Houthis as a result of their several attacks on Israeli commercial ships. Iran has also been a major player in this conflict, using Iraq and Syria as its proxies. Iran’s military launched two large-scale drone attacks on the State of Israel on April 13 and October 1. The Israeli Defense Forces also eliminated Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar on October 16.
As we mark the first anniversary of that deadly day, the future remains uncertain. This past year has been nothing short of challenging, though it has fostered a sense of unity within the Jewish people.
Israel remains surrounded by enemies on all fronts. It is crucial that now, more than ever, the Jewish people remain united. 101 hostages are being held in Gaza. We will not stop fighting until they are brought back home, whether it is through rallies, combat, or simply remembering the fallen. Only unity can bring peace. עם ישראל חי!
