On October 7, 2023, a deadly raid by Hamas into Israel marked the beginning of the most intense and devastating conflict between the Islamist militant group and the Israeli state in years. The surprise attack, which involved thousands of Hamas fighters infiltrating Israeli territory, killed over 1,000 Israeli civilians in a matter of hours and took hostages. This attack was the trigger for Israel’s subsequent large-scale military operation in Gaza, which has led to an incredibly high death toll on both sides, and ended in January 2025 with a hard-won peace agreement. In this article, we will examine the events that led to the war, the casualties, the fates of the hostages, the failure of Israel’s stated objectives, and why many view Hamas as having “won” the war, despite the devastating losses.
1. The Raid of October 7, 2023: A Turning Point
The war in Gaza truly began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a multi-pronged attack on Israeli soil. In an operation that caught Israel by surprise, Hamas fighters infiltrated Israeli territory, targeting civilians and military personnel alike. The assault quickly escalated into a full-blown crisis. Within hours, more than 1,000 Israelis were killed, making this the deadliest attack on Israeli soil in decades.
The attack was meticulously planned and executed, utilizing a combination of rocket fire, armed militants crossing the border into Israel, and coordinated assaults on civilian settlements. The raiders targeted towns and villages in southern Israel, killing men, women, and children indiscriminately. In addition to the staggering death toll, Hamas fighters took hundreds of Israeli civilians, including men, women, and children, as hostages. These hostages were taken to Gaza, where they would become a critical factor in the conflict.
This attack served as the catalyst for Israel’s military response, which would soon spiral into a massive ground invasion of Gaza.
2. The Israeli Response: A Massive Land Invasion
In response to the Hamas attack, Israel launched Operation “Iron Wall,” a large-scale military operation that aimed to cripple Hamas’ infrastructure and rescue the hostages. Israel’s initial strikes targeted Hamas positions in Gaza, including rocket-launching sites, command centers, and weapon caches. However, the true escalation came with Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza. In late October 2023, Israeli forces launched a full land invasion, sending tens of thousands of troops into Gaza with the aim of eradicating Hamas.
The ground invasion led to widespread destruction in Gaza, as Israel’s military targeted Hamas’ tunnel network, weapon depots, and personnel. Gaza, already one of the most densely populated areas on Earth, was devastated by the bombardment. Despite the overwhelming firepower of Israel’s military, the invasion failed to achieve its ultimate goal: neutralizing Hamas.
3. The Human Cost: Casualties on Both Sides
By January 2025, the war had claimed an unimaginable number of lives. On the Palestinian side, more than 46,000 people were killed, the vast majority of whom were civilians, including women and children. According to reports from the United Nations and human rights organizations, the death toll among Palestinians was staggering, with entire families wiped out by airstrikes and artillery bombardments. Gaza’s infrastructure was largely destroyed, and the region was left in ruins.
On the Israeli side, the death toll exceeded 2,000, many of whom were civilians killed during Hamas’ initial raid and subsequent rocket attacks. The psychological impact of constant rocket fire and the taking of hostages weighed heavily on the Israeli population, but the physical toll was far less compared to that in Gaza.
4. The Hostages: A Tragic Tale of Survival and Loss
One of the most harrowing aspects of the war was the hostage situation. Hamas took more than 200 Israeli hostages during the raid on October 7, 2023. These individuals were transported to Gaza, where they were held captive in brutal conditions. For months, families waited in anguish, uncertain of the fate of their loved ones. As the war raged on, Israeli officials pushed for the hostages’ release, but Hamas used the hostages as a bargaining chip in the negotiations with Israel.
Tragically, many hostages did not survive. Some were killed by Hamas fighters during Israeli airstrikes, while others were murdered by friendly fire from Israeli military operations. In one particularly tragic incident, an airstrike intended for Hamas operatives inadvertently struck a building where hostages were being held, resulting in the deaths of several hostages.
Despite efforts to negotiate their release, many hostages were never freed alive. The toll of these hostages’ deaths added to the trauma and loss experienced by Israeli families and the broader public. The fate of these individuals remained a central issue throughout the conflict, and their deaths became a symbol of the war’s brutality.
5. The Breakdown of Netanyahu’s Objectives
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government entered the war with clear objectives: to eradicate Hamas, recover the hostages, and restore security for the Israeli population. As the conflict unfolded, however, it became clear that these objectives were not going to be easily achieved.
The military operation, despite overwhelming firepower, failed to destroy Hamas. The militant group continued to launch rockets and carry out guerrilla-style attacks from its extensive network of tunnels and hidden positions. Israel’s attempts to decapitate Hamas leadership also proved unsuccessful, as many of the group’s leaders remained elusive or were protected by civilians.
The hostages, who had been a focal point of Israel’s military campaign, were not all recovered, and many were killed in the crossfire of Israeli military operations. By January 2025, no Israeli objectives—whether military or diplomatic—had been fully met. Hamas remained firmly in control of Gaza, and the casualties mounted. With Israel’s military campaign failing to achieve its stated aims, the international community began to push for a peace agreement.
6. The Peace Agreement: A Fragile Ceasefire
On January 19, 2025, after more than a year of intense conflict, a peace agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas. The agreement, brokered by international mediators, called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all remaining hostages, and the gradual lifting of some of the blockades on Gaza. In return, Hamas agreed to halt its rocket attacks and cease hostilities.
The peace deal was hailed as a necessary step to end the bloodshed, but it came at a devastating cost. The heavy toll on both sides, particularly the loss of life in Gaza, made it clear that the war had achieved little in terms of its original goals. For Israel, the war was meant to be a decisive victory. But instead, the country was left with unanswered questions about its strategic goals, military capabilities, and the long-term consequences of its actions.
7. Why Hamas Won the War: The Political and Psychological Victory
Despite the massive loss of life, many analysts believe that Hamas has emerged as the winner of this war, even though it, too, suffered significant casualties. Several factors contributed to this outcome:
International Legitimacy: Hamas successfully framed itself as the defender of Palestinian rights, securing widespread support across the Arab world and among left-wing movements globally. The images of destruction in Gaza, combined with the group’s rhetoric of resistance, garnered significant sympathy, especially in the Middle East and Africa.
Psychological Resilience: Despite the overwhelming military force brought to bear by Israel, Hamas showed remarkable resilience. The group was able to continue fighting throughout the conflict, never fully losing its capacity to resist, even as its leadership and infrastructure were heavily damaged. Hamas emerged with its political and military standing intact, maintaining control over Gaza and increasing its influence on the global stage.
Failure of Israel’s Objectives: Prime Minister Netanyahu’s objectives—to dismantle Hamas, recover hostages, and restore security—were never achieved. Hamas survived, many hostages were lost, and the war ended without a clear military victory for Israel.
The Hostage Crisis: The loss of so many hostages, including those killed by Israeli airstrikes and friendly fire, made it clear that Israel’s military strategy was flawed. The emotional and political impact of the hostage situation further undermined Israel’s ability to claim victory in the conflict.
8. Conclusion: A Pyrrhic Victory for Hamas
While Hamas may not have “won” the war in a conventional sense, it achieved significant political and strategic gains. The group’s survival, its ability to rally international support, and its continued control over Gaza have positioned it as the victor in the eyes of many. The peace agreement, signed on January 19, 2025, may bring an end to the fighting, but it also represents the failure of Israel’s objectives. The war has left deep scars on both sides, and the toll it has taken on Palestinian civilians, particularly women and children, is a tragic reminder of the human cost of the conflict.
For Hamas, the peace deal and the survival of its leadership represent a hard-won victory in a war that no side truly “won” in a conventional sense. The peace agreement, while ending the bloodshed, also leaves unresolved questions about the future of Gaza, the leadership of Hamas, and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For many, this war will be remembered not just for its military outcomes, but for the political and moral victory Hamas managed to achieve, despite the immense suffering on both sides.
