Israel-Hamas war two years later
Tuesday marks two years since the Hamas terror attack on Israel, prompting the ongoing war in Gaza. But peace talks have resumed with the hope for the end of the war and the release of the remaining hostages. FOX 5 NY’s Hayley Fixler has the latest details.
Tuesday, Oct. 7, will mark two years since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
What we know:
The somber milestone falls during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, and both protests and vigils are expected across New York City as communities reflect on the ongoing conflict.
Smoke billows after Israeli bombardment in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip on May 6, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)
Since then, thousands of lives have been lost, and despite repeated attempts to broker peace, no lasting resolution is in sight. Recently, Israel and Hamas entered into indirect talks to end the war in Gaza, after both sides signaled support for President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
These negotiations, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and mediated by the United States, aim to firm up the plan’s first phase. The centerpiece is a ceasefire that would allow Hamas to release all remaining hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Trump’s plan has drawn broad international backing, raising hopes of ending a devastating conflict that has dramatically reshaped global politics, claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives, and left much of Gaza in ruins.
At home, the conflict has triggered near-daily protests across New York City.
What happened on Oct. 7?
The backstory:
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants launched a surprise cross-border assault on Israel, firing rockets and storming into towns near the Gaza border. They struck up to 22 communities, some as far as 15 miles from Gaza, killing approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting around 250 others.
More than 11,000 people are dead, and thousands more injured, after the Palestinian group, Hamas, launched a surprise attack on Israel. FOX 5 NY’s Robert Moses has the latest.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war against Hamas, vowing to exact an “unprecedented price.” Israel then launched a sweeping military campaign across Gaza, with airstrikes and ground offensives that escalated into one of the region’s most destructive conflicts in recent memory.
Since that day, Israel and Hamas have engaged in indirect peace negotiations—most recently in Sharm el-Sheikh—seeking to halt the fighting and secure hostage-prisoner exchanges. But thorny issues like disarmament and Gaza’s postwar governance remain unsolved.
How many hostages remain in Gaza?
By the numbers:
- Total hostages captured during Oct. 7 attack: 251
- Hostages taken before the Oct. 7 attack: 4 (two who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015 and the bodies of two soldiers killed in the 2014 war)
- Hostages released in exchanges or other deals: 148, of whom eight were dead
- Bodies of hostages retrieved by Israeli forces: 51
- Hostages rescued alive: 8
- Hostages still in captivity: 48, of which the Israeli military believes 20 are still alive
- Non-Israeli hostages in captivity: 4 (two Thai nationals and one Tanzanian who have been confirmed dead, and one Nepalese national)
Where do things stand now?
Nearly two years removed from the Oct. 7 attacks and Israel’s invasion of Gaza, Americans are more divided than ever over the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Hamas says it is willing to return all remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the bodies of the dead in accordance with Trump’s peace plan.
Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages — around 20 of them believed to be alive — within three days. It would also give up power and disarm.
Locally, groups are organizing more actions tied to the anniversary.
On social media, the group Within Our Lifetime (with more than 37,000 followers) is calling Oct. 7 a “Day of Action” to “expose their lies” and “free Palestine,” organizing a protest at 4:30 p.m. near the Newscorp headquarters on 6th Avenue in Manhattan.
Meanwhile, another group, Israelis for Peace, plans a vigil marking two years of conflict. Their statement reads: “We hope and pray that by then a deal will be signed, the carnage will end, and all hostages will be on their way home.”
Jews will be celebrating Sukkot
The second anniversary of the attacks coincides this year with the start of Sukkot, a Jewish holiday when people leave their permanent dwellings to live temporarily in booths (sukkot). The holiday highlights hospitality and openness, including inviting “ushpizin” (symbolic biblical guests) to the table.
Sukkot, a week-long Jewish holiday celebrating the traditional gathering of the harvest, starts at sundown Monday and continues through Monday, Oct. 13.
Sukkot is considered one of the most joyful festivals on the Jewish calendar — distinctive in that it explicitly encourages Jews to rejoice and discourages public mourning.
The Source: This report is based on information from the Associated Press.