Explained: More than 65 thousand deaths, 80% Gaza destroyed, who lost what in the 2 years of war, what was gained and what next?

On the morning of October 7, 2023, thousands of Hamas fighters entered Israel and killed about 1200 people and took 251 people captive to Gaza. On October 8, Israel pledged to eliminate Hamas by carrying out air strikes in Gaza. The period of destruction that started from then continues even today.

So let us understand in ABP Explainer why the Israel-Hamas war started, who lost what, what gained and now who will take control of Gaza…

Question 1- How and why did the Israel-Hamas war start?
answer- On October 7, 2023, Hamas fired more than 5 thousand rockets and mortars from Gaza towards Israel. Hundreds of Hamas fighters broke the Gaza border and entered southern Israel. Paragliders, vehicles and sea routes were used in this. They attacked Israeli civilians, military targets and a music show, the Nova Festival, killing 1,139 people and taking 251 hostage.

In fact, in 1987, Maulvi Sheikh Ahmed Yasin started Harakat al-Muqawama-al-Islamiyya i.e. Hamas. The purpose of forming this organization was to destroy Israel and hoist the Islamic flag in Palestine. In 2005, when Israel left the Gaza Strip, Hamas took control. Hamas won a majority in the 2006 elections. He started running the government according to Sharia laws.

Hamas military commander al-Deif cited the continuous Israeli attacks and the years-long Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip as the reason for the attack. Hamas had also alleged that Israel desecrated the Al-Aqsa Mosque by throwing a grenade at it in April 2023. The attack of 7th October was also his revenge.

Foreign affairs expert and retired JNU professor A. Of. According to Pasha, there are three big reasons for Hamas to attack Israel…

• Hamas wanted global support on the issue of Palestine. Hamas knew that after such a huge attack on October 7, Israel would definitely retaliate, for which it had made preparations. Hamas had laid a network of tunnels throughout Gaza and had collected food, drink and weapons.
• After the attack on October 7, Hamas spokesman Ghazi Ahmed said that this attack is a message for those Arab countries which are trying to improve their relations with Israel. Hamas attacked Gaza to bring everyone together on the issue of Palestine.
• Hamas wanted to compromise with Israel by taking more than 250 Israelis hostage. He believed that with the help of hostages he would bring Israel to the negotiating table and reach a compromise on the issue of Palestine.
• But the result was the opposite. Israel started the war the very next day i.e. on 8 October 2023 by carrying out an air strike on Gaza. Which continues even today.

Question 2- How many people were killed in the Israel-Hamas war that has been going on for 2 years?
answer- According to the Gaza Health Ministry, from October 7, 2023 to October 6, 2025, 67,139 Palestinians have died and 1.69 lakh are injured. 22% of the total population of Gaza i.e. 4.7 lakh people are facing starvation.

According to the United Nations Relief and Work Agency of Palestine (UNRWA), 100 people die every day in Gaza due to Israeli attacks. Apart from this, many people lose their lives due to hunger and lack of medical facilities.

According to UNRWA data, 845 people died in the agency’s shelters. 370 staff members of the agency have also lost their lives.

Question 3- How much of Gaza has Israel destroyed in the last 2 years?
answer- For the last two years, Palestinians have had to bear the brunt of Hamas’ attacks on Israel.

Before the war between Israel and Hamas started, 21 lakh people lived in Gaza. About 90% of these people have been displaced, there are many families who have to constantly change their places of residence.
According to data from the United Nations Satellite Center i.e. UNOSAT, 80% of Gaza’s infrastructure, 90% of agricultural land and 92% of school buildings have been destroyed.
Of UNRWA’s 22 health care centres, only 4 are operational. More than 40% of the families have to live near garbage. 60% of the families do not even have the necessary items for bathing.

Question 4- So in 2 years, did Israel achieve what it started the war for?
answer- Israel started the war in Gaza on October 8, for which there were two major reasons…

1. Completely eliminate Hamas

• Israel had said that it would eliminate Hamas as a terrorist organization, so that it could never attack again. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a press conference in Jerusalem on 9 October 2023, ‘We will completely destroy Hamas, just as we have destroyed ISIS.’
• Israel killed the top leadership of Hamas. These include Saleh Al Aruru, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammad Daif, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammad Sinwar. Apart from this, 70% of the 500 kilometer long tunnels of Hamas in Gaza were destroyed. Weapon stores and rocket launch sites were also heavily damaged.
• On October 3, US President Donald Trump posted on the social media platform Truth saying that Hamas has lost 25 thousand fighters. Its main commanders have also died. But despite this, Hamas has not been completely destroyed, rather new leaders have emerged. According to Middle East Institute estimates, Hamas recruited 25 thousand new fighters.
• Hamas lost control of Gaza City, but remains active in some areas of southern Gaza such as Rafah and Khan Yunis. Hamas has continued small rocket attacks.

2. Freedom of Israeli hostages

• Hamas had taken 251 Israelis and foreigners hostage. Israel’s target was to bring back all the hostages alive. Netanyahu said in Tel Aviv on 12 November 2023, ‘Our first target is to bring every hostage safely.’
• When the first ceasefire took place in November 2023, 105 hostages were released through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt, which included 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners. In return, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners. After this, when there was a ceasefire in January 2025, 43 hostages were released, which included 10 soldiers.
• Israel Defense Force i.e. IDF conducted a rescue operation and rescued 4 hostages. Altogether 148 hostages returned alive. 34 were confirmed killed and 69 are still missing or detained in Gaza.
• This target of Israel is still incomplete, because not all the hostages have been released. Because of this, anger against the government increased in Israel. The Israelis accused Netanyahu of giving priority to military attacks, which endangered the lives of the hostages.

Question 5- Has Hamas achieved the reason for attacking Israel?
answer- On October 10, 2023, former Hamas leader Khaled Mashal said in a statement to Al Jazeera, ‘Our attack was against Israeli encroachment on Al-Aqsa Mosque, the blockade of Gaza and the rights of the Palestinian people.’

• The attack by Hamas brought the Palestinian issue into discussion at the global level. More than 20 countries recognized Palestine as an independent country.
• Hamas wanted the issue of Palestine to be raised across the world and Israel to learn a lesson. Criticism of Israel increased in international public opinion. According to the Pew Research Center’s June 2025 report, 60% of people in America were against Israeli attacks.
• Amnesty International called Israel’s actions genocide in April 2024, leading to increased sympathy for Palestinian victims.
• Currently, after Hamas, there are about 15 thousand fighters, who are hiding in tunnels and attacking Israeli soldiers in a guerilla manner. At present, leaders like Khaled Mashal and Khalil al-Hayya are in command of Hamas.
• Apart from this, Hamas wanted the Arab countries to also pay attention to the issue of Palestine, so the same happened in the last two years. However, Hamas did not expect such a huge counterattack by Israel that its entire top leadership would be eliminated.

Question 6- Which countries had to bear the brunt of the Israel-Hamas war?
answer- Six countries of the Middle East had to bear the brunt of the war that started due to Hamas attack…

1. Lebanon: In support of Hamas, Hezbollah was attacking Israel’s northern border. On September 18, 2024, suddenly pagers and walkie-talkies were blasted on Hezbollah leaders. Israel fired more than 900 missiles at Lebanon in 4 days. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was also killed in the attacks.
2. Yemen: Houthi rebels started attacking Israel in support of Gaza from October 2023 itself. By May 2025, they have carried out around 250 attacks. On September 10, Israel dropped bombs on military camps, government offices and fuel storage in Yemen’s capital Sanaa and Al Jawf province. More than 20 Houthis were killed in this.
3. Iran: On June 13, 2025, Israel launched ‘Operation Rising Lion’ by attacking Iran with more than 200 fighter jets. Israel killed many nuclear scientists of Iran. There was a ceasefire on June 24 and during this period, 627 people died in Iran and 28 in Israel in 12 days.
4. Syria: Syria, which has been facing civil war for the last 14 years, suffered an air strike late on the night of September 8, in which 12 people were killed. Israel said that Syria was supplying weapons to Iran’s air force IRGC, which strengthens Hezbollah and Hamas.
5. Queue: On September 9, 2025, Israel carried out an airstrike on Qatar’s capital Doha and fired more than 10 missiles from fighter jets. Israel said that top Hamas leaders like Khalil al-Hayya were hiding in Qatar and were conducting Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
6. Tunisia: On September 8, Israel carried out a drone attack on a family boat in the port of Tunisia. There were 6 people on board this ship, who were traveling with the Portuguese flag. Second attack was carried out on 9 September. These boats were supposed to reach Gaza and deliver food, medicines and essential goods, which according to Israel could deliver weapons or support to Hamas.

Question 7- What will happen next after completion of 2 years of attack on Gaza?
answer- On the night of September 29, Trump released a 20-point plan for ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. This includes points like making Gaza a terror free zone, releasing hostages from both sides, granting amnesty to Hamas on the condition of surrendering arms, Israel not occupying Gaza. Apart from this, there is also a plan to settle Gaza. Hamas also supports this plan, but has objections on some points.

A. Of. Pasha says, ‘The problem with Trump’s plan is that Netanyahu never keeps his words. They break the ceasefire at any time and start attacks. Capturing Gaza is part of Netanyahu’s Greater Israel. Now we have to see what happens next. However, Trump’s plan may succeed because now there has been a lot of destruction in Gaza.