Hyderabad: October 7, 2023, goes down in the annals of history as a dark spot — bringing to mind the memory of the massacre of lives, which served as a prelude for the brutal Israeli offensive on Palestinians.

The day not only altered the trajectory of the long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine but also set the tone for a devastating humanitarian crisis. The world stood witness to an escalation of violence that soon spiralled into a war of colossal intensity, reshaping the geopolitical landscape and laying bare the profound human cost of this seemingly eternal conflict.

Palestinians in Gaza are confronting an apocalyptic landscape of devastation. Critics say Israel has waged a campaign of scorched earth to destroy the fabric of life in Gaza, accusations that are being considered in two global courts, including the crime of genocide.

Israel denies those charges and says its military has been fighting a complex battle in dense urban areas and that it tries to avoid causing undue harm to civilians and their infrastructure.

International rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, view the vast destruction as part of a broader pattern of extermination and genocide directed at Palestinians in Gaza, a grave charge Israel denies. The groups dispute Israel’s stance that the destruction was a result of military activity.

The trigger: Hamas’ coordinated assault

Thousands of Hamas militants breached a border fence while others arrived in speedboats. Some even came by paraglider in a dawn attack by Hamas, leaving 1,200 people dead and another 250 as hostages.

Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, marked the deadliest day in the history of modern Israel, triggering a devastating attack on Palestinians. Thus, a humanitarian catastrophe unfolded for Gaza. For many, the attack is the fallout of years of growing tensions, frustrations, and unresolved political struggles. Hamas, which took many women, children, and the elderly as hostages, opened a new front in the war.

These hostages were held in Gaza, becoming a central point of leverage in the broader conflict, and ultimately setting the stage for the current round of peace talks and international diplomatic manoeuvering.

Israel accused of crimes against humanity

Human Rights Watch, in a November report accusing Israel of crimes against humanity, said “The destruction is so substantial that it indicates the intention to permanently displace many people.”

According to the latest satellite imagery-based agricultural damage assessment conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), approximately 86 per cent of Gaza’s permanent crop fields exhibited a significant decline in health and density in July 2025.

From a fierce air campaign during the first weeks of the war to a ground invasion that sent thousands of troops in on tanks, the Israeli response targeted much of the civilian infrastructure of the Gaza Strip, displacing 90% of its population.

Israel, Hamas on table for talks on eve of Gaza War anniversary

Israeli and Hamas officials are set to hold indirect talks at an Egyptian resort Monday on a US-drafted peace plan to end the ruinous war in Gaza on the eve of its second anniversary. Many uncertainties remain about the plan presented by US President Donald Trump last week, including the disarmament of the militant group — a key Israeli demand — and the future governance of Gaza.

Trump has indicated an agreement on Gaza could pave the way for a Middle East peace process that could reshape the region. Despite Trump ordering Israel to stop the bombing, Israel continued to pound Gaza with airstrikes, killing at least 19 people in the last 24 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.

The talks in Egypt are expected to move quickly. Netanyahu said they would be “confined to a few days maximum,” though some Hamas officials have warned more time may be needed to locate bodies of hostages buried under rubble.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi hailed Trump’s efforts. “A ceasefire, the return of hostages and detainees, the reconstruction of Gaza, and the start of a peaceful political process leading to the establishment and recognition of a Palestinian state mean that we are on the right path toward lasting peace and solid stability,” he said.

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