It has been three months since the devastating Hamas attack that sparked the Israeli war in Gaza, and the deadly fighting has led to a dire humanitarian crisis in the region.
The Israeli army began an attack on the Palestinian Strip after Hamas militants launched a brutal attack on Israel on October 7, in which militants killed about 1,200 people and took more than 200 hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
In the three months following the attack, more than 22,700 Gazans were killed, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
Here’s a look at some key moments in the conflict:
October 7: Hamas attack. Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7 marked the largest terrorist attack in Israel’s history. At least 1,500 Hamas fighters flowed across the border into Israel by land, sea and air using gliders. Shortly after, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was “at war.”
October 9: Israel orders a “total siege” on Gaza. Two days later, Netanyahu said the Israeli army would attack Hamas with “unprecedented” force, with the aim of destroying the militant group.
October 13: Increased displacement. The Israeli army asked 1.1 million people in northern Gaza to evacuate their homes immediately, while intensifying its response. Since the beginning of the conflict, according to United Nations estimates Up to 1.9 million people were displaced.
October 17: Hundreds were killed in Gaza Hospital. A deadly explosion rocked the National Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which was housing thousands of displaced people. CNN found that the explosion was likely caused by a malfunctioning rocket fired by Palestinian militants rather than an Israeli strike.
October 27: Israel expands its ground attack. After a war waged largely from the air, the Israeli military announced that it was “expanding ground operations” in Gaza.
November 15: Al-Shifa hospital raid. Israel launched a “directed” operation against Hamas inside the largest hospital in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians are believed to be taking shelter. Conditions in the hospital deteriorated rapidly during the days of fighting. The raid sparked international criticism.
November 24: The truce begins. After days of careful negotiations, the truce between Israel and Hamas led to a halt to the fighting. As part of the truce, civilian hostages held by the militants were released, with groups of hostages being released every day.
December 1: Breakdown of the truce. One week later, the Israeli army resumed fighting against Hamas in Gaza, accusing the movement of violating the terms of the truce. Israel’s focus began to shift from northern Gaza to its south.
December 15: Hostages were killed in a failed operation raid. Israeli soldiers shot and killed three Israeli hostages in the northern Gaza Strip after misidentifying them as threats. The Israeli military said the shooting was in violation of its rules of engagement and that the soldiers involved would face disciplinary action.
January 1: Israel announces a partial withdrawal. On the first day of the new year, Israel announced that it would soon begin withdrawing thousands of soldiers from Gaza in preparation for a new phase of the conflict, although a senior official warned that he expected the fighting to continue throughout the year.
