“Israel, Hamas, and the War That Changed Gaza Forever”, ForPolIndia, October 07, 2025
“On the morning of October 7, 2023, life in Israel changed forever. Families in sleepy kibbutzim awoke to sirens, music-lovers at a festival were forced to flee, and entire towns were attacked in a matter of hours. Hamas militants crossed into Israel, killed more than 1,200 people, and dragged others back into Gaza as hostages. The scale of the violence stunned the country and scarred a generation.
For Israel, that day was not just a security failure. It was a wound, one that has shaped every decision since. What followed was an Israeli response that many abroad viewed as overwhelming, but which Israelis themselves often describe as necessary for survival.
The Israeli Response
In the days after the massacre, the Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron. Airstrikes and artillery fire pounded Gaza, targeting rocket sites, Hamas strongholds, and a sprawling tunnel network beneath the territory. Ground troops moved in, street by street, fighting in some of the most densely packed neighbourhoods in the world…..”
Read full article at ForPolIndia.com
