Timeline of conflict between Israel and Hamas explained

A “war” erupted between Israel and Gaza on Saturday, leaving the world stunned for several reasons - this photo among them.

As a barrage of rockets rained down from Gaza, Hamas militants infiltrated towns in the south of Israel, killing and abducting citizens and soldiers.

Saturday’s assault stunned Israel, which was celebrating the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as a “murderous surprise attack”, stated that Israel was “at war” with Hamas and vowed to exact revenge.

Here’s what we know about the conflict.

Rockets are fired from Gaza City towards Israel on October 7, 2023. Picture: AFP

6.30am

Alarms in Israel blared as the Islamist group Hamas started a multi-pronged attack around 6.30am (local time). Thousands of rockets were fired.

Some of the missiles bypassed Israel’s Iron Dome defence system and hit buildings in cities including Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Gedera and Ashkelon.

Hamas fighters — travelling in ground vehicles, motorised paragliders and boats — breached Gaza’s security barrier and attacked nearby Israeli towns and military posts, opening fire on residents and passers-by.

A recorded message released by Muhammad Deif of Hamas’s militant wing revealed that an “operation” was under way so that “the enemy will understand that the time of their rampaging without accountability has ended”, according to the New York Times.

7.40am

Officials from the Israel Defense Forces confirmed Hamas fighters had entered southern Israel from Gaza.

People in the region, including Sderot, were asked to hide in their homes.

Palestinian terrorists from the Gaza Strip are seen in Sderot. pic.twitter.com/dsuL4uYWoY

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 7, 2023

Footage showed militants forcing their way through border structures.

Cities were attacked including Sderot, which is east of Gaza.

Footage showed dead bodies on the street in the city and cars littered with bullets.

A clip showing Palestinians entering Israel on a powered paraglider was posted on social media.

The footage got plenty of attention online.

“Footage of a Hamas infiltrator using a motorised hang glider to get into Israel. This is insane,” one person wrote.

Militants in Sderot (left). A paraglider flies into Israel from Gaza (right). Picture: Supplied

8.10am

Reports emerge that hostages have been taken in southern Israel.

Video shows Hamas militants fighting with Israeli forces and casualties are reported.

8.25am

IDF fighter jets begin hitting targets in Gaza.

People standing on a rooftop watch as a ball of fire and smoke rises above a building in Gaza City on October 7, 2023 during an Israeli air strike. Picture: AFP

IDF says it struck 17 military compounds and four headquarters belonging to Hamas in the Gaza Strip, among other targets. pic.twitter.com/NtWCfNKy1C

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 7, 2023

8.30am

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approves a widescale call-up of reservists.

9.25am

Residents in Kibbutz Be’eri report Hamas militants on the streets of the small town.

9.30am

Hamas announced it has fired “5000 rockets” at Israel and calls the attack “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” in reference to the third holiest site in Islam — and alleged Israeli “desecration” at the mosque in Jerusalem.

9.45am

The IDF closes roads near the Gaza border.

Palestinians take control of an Israeli tank after crossing the border fence with Israel from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. Picture: AFP

11.47am

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel states that Israel is at “war”.

“Citizens of Israel, we are at war,” he said in his first public message since the conflict began, about five hours after the start of the assault. “And we will win.”

“The enemy will pay a price like they have never known before.”

2.15pm

Residents in Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha say they are under attack and beg for help from the IDF.

“Send police or troops to help us, please,” one resident told a reporter.

“I am in the safe room, with a knife.”

Hamas gunmen were also reported in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak.

3pm

Mayor of Sderot Alon Davidi warns the scale of the attack has not yet been made public.

A local TV reporter states there are: “bodies on the ground… terribly grave pictures, scenes that are hard to describe.”

3.30pm

Palestinian media reports that 160 people have been killed and more than 1000 injured after air strikes by the IDF.

4pm

International airlines begin cutting flights to Israel citing the security situation.

5.30pm

IDF confirms that hostages have been taken to the Gaza Strip.

1.40am (Sunday)

Death toll in Israel rises to 300.

2.30am (Sunday)

Israel says it will stop the supply of electricity, fuel and goods to the Gaza Strip.

What’s the latest

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned of a “long and difficult” war, as fighting with Hamas left hundreds dead on both sides after a surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group.

The conflict’s bloodiest escalation in decades saw Hamas carry out a massive rocket barrage and ground, air and sea offensive Saturday that Israel’s army said had killed more than 200 Israelis and wounded 1,000, while soldiers and civilians were taken hostage.

Gaza officials said intense Israeli air strikes on the coastal enclave had brought the Palestinian death toll to at least 256, with nearly 1788 wounded.

Israeli troops gather with their military equipment at an undisclosed location on the border with the Gaza Strip. Picture: AFP

As fighting raged Sunday, Lebanon’s powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said it had fired “large numbers of artillery shells and guided missiles” at Israeli positions in a contested border areas “in solidarity” with Hamas.

Israel’s army had earlier said it fired artillery on southern Lebanon in response to a shot from the area without identifying the attackers.

“We are embarking on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack,” Netanyahu said on X, formerly Twitter, early Sunday.

“The first stage is ending at this time by the destruction of the vast majority of the enemy forces that infiltrated our territory,” he added, pledging no “respite” until victory.

Palestinian citizens inspect damage caused by Israeli air strikes on their homes. Picture: AFP/Getty Images

Overnight Israel battered the Gaza Strip with air strikes as rockets from the blockaded Palestinians territory rained on Israel.

Sunday morning gun still battles raged between Israeli forces and hundreds of Hamas fighters in multiple locations, including at the Sderot police station across the border from Gaza.

Police and Israeli army special forces “neutralised 10 armed terrorists” who were holed up inside the station, a police statement said.

The bloody air, sea and land attack launched Saturday by Hamas came half a century after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, taking Israel and the world by surprise.

As the UN Security Council called an emergency meeting for Sunday, President Joe Biden voiced “rock solid and unwavering” support for the US ally and warned “against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation”.

- with AFP