What Happened in the October 7th Massacre?

On October 7th, 2023, thousands of armed Hamas terrorists tore down large parts of the Gaza security fence using tractors, RPGs and explosives and invaded southern Israel. Simultaneously, Hamas terrorists in Gaza fired thousands of rockets toward Israel.

Some 1,500 terrorists successfully broke through the fence in vehicles and by foot. Some used motorized paragliders to fly over the fence, and others attempted to invade through the sea, aiming for Israel’s Zikim Beach.

The terrorists split up and made their way to a number of Israeli towns and IDF bases surrounding Gaza. That is when the massacre began. They invaded the towns, shooting everything in sight. They broke into civilian homes, shooting, burning, raping and beheading. Over 1,300 civilians were murdered, and over 200 were abducted. Hamas terrorists briefly took control of about 10 Israeli towns, terrorizing and brutalizing their residents.

A family home in southern Israel destroyed by terrorists

Simultaneously, additional terrorists drove on to the Nova Music Festival, which took place in a nearby open area. Partygoers were waking up to the sound of sirens and attempting to evacuate due to the threat of rockets. Many of them did not reach safety. The terrorists fired indiscriminately at the thousands of civilians who came from all over the world to celebrate peace through music.

They massacred hundreds, raped young women, brutalized bodies, and abducted many. 260 bodies were later found in the area of the festival, most of them belonging to young men and women—innocent youth.

IDF forces operated to neutralize the terrorists and thwart their infiltration; however, the terrorists were also ambushing IDF bases, killing soldiers and hurling grenades and explosives. Still, field observers used a sniper sighting system, tanks fired shells, and combat helicopters and special forces were deployed to the scene.

The State of Israel has never encountered such a large-scale, calculated attack on the Gaza front.

Many were lost not only during the initial attacks but also during the prolonged, bloody battles to regain control of the towns and bases surrounding Gaza, clear them from terrorists and rescue as many hostages held in Israeli territory as possible. When forces were able to regain control of the towns, they were faced with grotesque sights of Hamas’ pure violence that were left behind.

Cribs and baby carriers were found bloodstained. Families were found embracing each other, lifeless. Pets were left behind, among them a dog refusing to leave a child’s bed, waiting for its owners who will never return.

October 7th will forever be remembered as a dark day in Israel’s history and in humanity’s history. A reminder that there are humans capable of utterly inhumane things.

You can read more about Israel's War on Hamas following this attack here.