The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas-led militants launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people, the majority of them civilians, and abducting around 250 individuals. Of those taken hostage, around 100 remain in Gaza, with estimates suggesting that at least a third of them are presumed dead.

Israel launched its campaign in Gaza after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israeli communities across the border on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Fewer than half of the hostages were freed during the war's only ceasefire, which lasted for a week in Nov. 2023.