Three Years After October 7: The Scale of Destruction and Ongoing Conflict

Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The assault killed 1,209 people. Militants took 251 hostages to the Gaza Strip. Before that date, Israel maintained a security policy that assumed Hamas remained contained behind fortified borders. Military operations in Gaza have since expanded. Tensions in the West Bank have also increased.

Israeli forces currently control 60 percent of the Gaza Strip. Regional partners reported that they warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of imminent danger before the October 7, 2023, attack. Internal criticism of government security policies has intensified. This debate persists as Israel prepares for national elections.

1. Israel maintains that its military campaign is necessary to dismantle the governing and military capabilities of Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in May 2026 that he said he wanted to increase Israeli control of the Gaza Strip to 70 percent. This strategy aims to prevent a recurrence of the 2023 assault.

2. The Israeli government prioritizes the return of hostages taken on October 7, 2023. Israeli officials state that military operations aim to secure the release of captives held in Gaza. This goal serves as a core objective of the war effort.

3. Commemorations on October 7, 2026, honored the 1,209 victims of the 2023 attacks. These events recognized civilians killed in the initial assault. In the Nir Oz kibbutz, 47 people died. The ceremonies marked the national focus on the impact of the 2023 events.

4. Commemorations spread beyond Israel. In Bondi, Australia, attendees observed a minute of silence at 6:29 a.m. On October 7, 2023. This time marked the start of the Hamas assault. Militants killed 47 people at Nir Oz kibbutz and abducted 76 others to Gaza.

1. The humanitarian impact in Gaza is extensive, with over 74,000 people killed since October 7, 2023. According to Al Jazeera, this total includes more than 21,000 children. The United Nations reports that 90 percent of Gaza’s housing stock has been damaged or destroyed, leaving a significant portion of the population without shelter.

2. Criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has grown within Israel. Yaakov Godo interrupted the Prime Minister at a commemoration event. Godo accused Netanyahu of negligence regarding the security failures of October 7, 2023. Public frustration persists as the country prepares for national elections.

3. Regional partners, including the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of imminent danger before the October 7, 2023, attack. These reports prompt questions regarding the preparedness of the Israeli government and the effectiveness of its security policy at that time.

4. Israeli forces or settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians and displaced approximately 40,000 others in the West Bank since October 7, 2023. Peace Now reported that 146 settlements in the West Bank and 15 in East Jerusalem were established in the two years before October 2026. The Israeli army issued at least 15 land confiscation orders in the Jenin governorate in July 2026.