Two years after Hamas’s surprise assault on October 7, 2023, Israel’s war in Gaza has transformed not only the besieged enclave but also the region’s political and humanitarian landscape. What began as a campaign to “destroy Hamas” and rescue Israeli hostages has become one of the deadliest and most controversial conflicts of the 21st century, and one that has left Israel with as many questions as it set out to answer.
The October 7 shock and its aftermath
On October 7, 2023, Hamas fighters broke through the fortified Gaza barrier, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages into Gaza. The unprecedented breach shook Israel’s sense of security to its core. The following day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war, vowing to dismantle Hamas and bring the hostages home.
Two years on, Gaza lies in ruins. According to conservative estimates from Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 66,000 Palestinians, around 80 per cent civilians, have been killed, and at least 169,000 wounded. The UN and international aid agencies believe the actual figures are higher.
The devastation is near-total: 90 per cent of homes have been damaged or destroyed, leaving 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.1 million people displaced. Israel’s “total blockade” has triggered a famine that, according to humanitarian groups, has already claimed hundreds of lives, including at least 150 children.
Limited success on Israel’s war aims
Netanyahu’s stated objectives — freeing all hostages and eradicating Hamas — remain largely unmet. Of the 251 hostages taken in 2023, 148 have returned to Israel alive. Eight were rescued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF); the rest were released in prisoner swaps. The bodies of several others have been recovered while Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, though only about 20 are believed to be alive.
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Despite the deaths of senior Hamas figures such as Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, the group continues to operate inside Gaza. Hamas’s political and military infrastructure has been weakened but not destroyed, a reality that has drawn criticism from within Israel and abroad about the war’s effectiveness.
In September 2025, US President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point peace plan calling for the release of all hostages and the disarmament of Hamas. The proposal offers amnesty to militants who renounce violence, effectively signalling the end of Hamas as an armed group, but has so far gained little traction.
Regional reverberations
The Gaza war has spilled far beyond the enclave. Iran-backed groups, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen — have repeatedly attacked Israeli and Western targets in solidarity with Hamas. In response, Israel has conducted a string of operations across the region, including the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and airstrikes on southern Lebanon.
Israel also targeted Iran directly, damaging parts of its nuclear infrastructure, and embarrassed Tehran by assassinating Haniyeh in central Tehran. The fall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in late 2024 further weakened Iran’s regional network. Together, these developments have left Israel’s military dominance in the Middle East largely uncontested, even as its global reputation suffers.
Accusations of genocide and war crimes
The manner in which Israel has conducted its war has sparked worldwide condemnation. Strikes on hospitals, refugee camps, schools and aid convoys have killed thousands of civilians, journalists, doctors and humanitarian workers. Israel has also been accused of blocking critical aid supplies to Gaza, arguing that they could be diverted by Hamas.
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A UN commission, international scholars and Israeli human rights groups such as B’Tselem have all accused Israel of committing acts of genocide — charges Netanyahu’s government rejects as politically motivated. In December 2023, South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and in November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and then-defence minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes. Israel and its allies dismissed the warrants, while Hungary withdrew from the ICC altogether in protest.
Growing support for Palestinian statehood
The catastrophic situation in Gaza has revived the push for Palestinian statehood. Before October 2023, about 140 countries recognised Palestine. Since then, 20 more, including France, the UK, Spain, Australia and Canada, have done so, citing the need for a two-state solution.
While Netanyahu argues that recognising Palestine “rewards terrorism,” these governments have made clear that Hamas would have no role in a future Palestinian administration. Several countries, including Colombia, South Africa and Malaysia, have also imposed sanctions on Israel, while others have suspended arms exports. Within the EU, calls are growing to restrict trade and travel with Israel, though Germany and a few others remain opposed.
A divided Israel
At home, Israeli society is deeply split. Hardline ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich continue to advocate expanding the war and even annexing the occupied West Bank, moves that would effectively end the two-state vision.
On the other hand, a growing segment of Israelis, including relatives of hostages, army veterans, and Arab citizens, are demanding a ceasefire. Weekly protests across the country have underscored mounting disillusionment with Netanyahu’s leadership. A recent poll shows more than 60 per cent of Israelis now support halting the war.
Two years after October 7, Israel’s military power remains formidable, but its moral standing, international alliances, and internal cohesion are under strain. Even if Trump’s proposed peace plan were to take hold, the trauma, in Gaza and in Israel, may take generations to heal.