The date October 7, 2023, has basically become a permanent scar on the history of the Middle East. Honestly, if you’re trying to wrap your head around what did Hamas do on October 7th, you have to look past the political shouting matches and look at the timeline of that Saturday morning. It was a holiday—Simchat Torah—and most of Israel was sleeping or getting ready for synagogue.
At exactly 6:30 a.m., the silence broke.
Thousands of rockets started screaming out of Gaza. While people in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were running for bomb shelters, something much more coordinated and grim was happening on the ground. This wasn't just another round of rocket fire; it was a massive, multi-pronged invasion that nobody saw coming.
Breaking the Fence: The Initial Infiltration
For years, the border between Gaza and Israel was considered one of the most high-tech "smart" barriers in the world. It had sensors, cameras, and remote-controlled machine guns.
Hamas used drones to take out the communication towers first.
Once the "eyes" of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were blind, roughly 6,000 people—including the elite Nukhba forces and some unaffiliated Gazans—rushed the fence. They used explosives and bulldozers to rip holes in the wire. Some came by sea on speedboats. Others actually used powered paragliders to fly over the wall, landing in fields while the sun was still coming up.
It was a total system failure on the Israeli side.
🔗 Read more: When is the Next Hurricane Coming 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
Within minutes, gunmen were in the streets of Sderot and smaller farming communities known as kibbutzim. They didn't just attack military outposts; they went house to house. According to reports from groups like Human Rights Watch and the UN, the attackers had detailed maps of these communities, often knowing exactly where the security offices and generators were located.
The Massacre at the Nova Music Festival
One of the most haunting parts of the day happened at the Supernova Sukkot Gathering. It was an outdoor trance music festival near Kibbutz Re'im, just a few miles from the border.
Around 3,500 young people were there.
When the rockets started, the music stopped. Then the gunfire began. Because the festival was in an open field, there was nowhere to hide. Militants surrounded the site and opened fire on the crowds. People tried to hide in bushes or under cars, but many were hunted down.
By the time the area was secured, at least 364 civilians had been killed at the festival alone. Many others were dragged across the border into Gaza as hostages.
What Happened Inside the Kibbutzim?
While the festival was under fire, similar scenes were playing out in places like Be’eri, Kfar Aza, and Nir Oz. These are small, tight-knit communities where everyone knows their neighbor.
💡 You might also like: What Really Happened With Trump Revoking Mayorkas Secret Service Protection
The stories that came out later were horrific.
In Be’eri, nearly 100 people were killed. In many cases, militants set fire to homes to force families out of their "safe rooms" (the reinforced shelters most Israeli homes have). If you stayed inside, you risked smoke inhalation; if you ran out, you were met with gunfire.
It wasn't just about the numbers, though the numbers were staggering:
- 1,219 people killed in total on that first day.
- At least 810 of those were civilians, including children and the elderly.
- Over 250 people were taken hostage.
One specific case that stayed in the news was the Kedem family in Nir Oz. Parents Tamar and Yonatan, along with their three young children, were murdered inside their home. These aren't just statistics; they're the details that explain why the regional response was so immediate and violent.
The Hostage Crisis and the "Gaza Metro"
Taking hostages was a primary goal. Hamas needed leverage. They took soldiers, sure, but they also took toddlers and grandmothers.
They were taken into the "Gaza Metro"—the massive network of tunnels Hamas built under the Gaza Strip. This created a nightmare for rescue operations because the tunnels are located under hospitals, schools, and homes, making any military attempt to get them back extremely risky for everyone involved.
📖 Related: Franklin D Roosevelt Civil Rights Record: Why It Is Way More Complicated Than You Think
As of early 2026, the situation with these hostages has been a central point of every ceasefire negotiation. Some were released in a brief truce in late 2023, while others' remains were only returned much later, as seen in the agreements of October 2025.
The Regional Aftermath
You can't talk about what did Hamas do on October 7th without mentioning how it flipped the world upside down.
Israel’s response was a massive military campaign in Gaza that has lasted for over two years. The destruction in Gaza is hard to even describe—entire neighborhoods leveled and a humanitarian crisis that has seen thousands of Palestinians killed and millions displaced.
The conflict also spilled over. Hezbollah in Lebanon started firing rockets in solidarity with Hamas, leading to a secondary war in the north. Even Iran eventually got directly involved, leading to a brief but intense 12-day conflict with the U.S. and Israel in mid-2025.
Why Did This Happen?
Hamas leaders, like Khaled Mashal, have stated the attack was a response to the long-standing blockade of Gaza, the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and tensions around the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
However, analysts also point to internal politics. Hamas’s popularity in Gaza was slipping because of high unemployment and a failing economy. By launching a "revolutionary" attack, they likely hoped to regain their standing and derail the growing diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab nations like Saudi Arabia.
Actionable Insights: Moving Forward
Understanding the events of October 7th is about more than just knowing the history; it’s about recognizing the complexity of the current global landscape.
- Verify Your Sources: In the age of AI and deepfakes, always cross-reference reports from the ground. Look for established news outlets like the Associated Press or reports from international bodies like the UN.
- Understand the Humanitarian Impact: Whether you’re looking at the families in the Israeli kibbutzim or the displaced civilians in Gaza, the human cost is the most critical factor to keep in mind.
- Stay Informed on Ceasefire Terms: The geopolitical situation changes weekly. Following the specific phases of peace plans—like the one proposed in late 2025—helps clarify why certain military actions are still occurring.
- Differentiate Between Actors: It’s helpful to distinguish between the political leadership of Hamas, their military wings (the Al-Qassam Brigades), and the civilian population of Gaza to get a clearer picture of the conflict's dynamics.
The events of that day triggered a domino effect that is still being felt across the globe. By sticking to the facts of what happened during those first 24 hours, we can better understand the gravity of the decisions being made by world leaders today.