The October 7 attack killed about 1,200 people, primarily Israeli citizens, making it the deadliest day for Israel since its independence and the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. The attack took place on Shemini Atzeret, a Jewish holiday that closes the autumn thanksgiving festival of Sukkot. The assault began at 6:30 AM with a barrage of at least 2,200 rockets launched into Israel in just 20 minutes, reportedly overwhelming Israel’s Iron Dome system. At the same time at least 1,500 militants from Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad infiltrated Israel at dozens of points by using explosives and bulldozers to breach the border.

More than 240 people were taken hostage during the attack. Many of them were taken from their homes and some from a music festival. Including Israelis with dual citizenship, more than half of those taken hostage collectively held passports from about two dozen countries, effectively pulling several countries into the efforts to release their citizens.

In the days that followed Israel launched a war in the Gaza Strip in an effort to rescue the hostages and depose Hamas. The war led to widespread destruction throughout the Gaza Strip and the deaths of tens of thousands of Gazans, according to official numbers. The war also led to a “catastrophic level” of food insecurity, according to the United Nations, and famine was confirmed in Gaza City. In the two years since the attack, Israel has faced increasing international pressure to halt the war. A recent peace process brokered by the United States has been embraced initially by both sides.