Israel-Hamas war: One year after October 7

A curated collection of articles providing a broad perspective on the ongoing war, its origins, consequences, and potential future.

Palestinians at a mosque-turned-shelter in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, heavily damaged in an Israeli strike during the night of October 6, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. | Photo Credit: BASHAR TALEB

A year has passed since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel. This event changed the Israel-Palestine conflict in ways few expected. The attack killed many Israelis and led to a strong response from Israel. This included bombing Gaza and declaring war on Hamas and its allies. The fighting spread beyond Gaza, affecting nearby countries like Lebanon, Iran and even Syria. It also changed how other nations view the conflict.

In the past few months, Frontline extensively covered the crisis that has changed West Asian politics quite dramatically. Frontline’s coverage of the crisis featured several cover stories and dozens of articles, interviews, and data-driven reports on the ongoing conflict. Our writers looked at different parts of this complex issue, and we talked to people on both sides and shared their stories. We also looked at how this conflict affected the wider region of West Asia.

One key question we asked was why this attack happened when it did. Israel’s intelligence services didn’t see it coming. This surprised many people who thought Israel always knew what was happening in Gaza. We also looked at how the war changed life in Gaza. Many people there lost their homes and loved ones. Millions of people had to leave their homes and didn’t know if they could ever go back. Our reporters talked to all stakeholders, including the victims, rescue workers, politicians, academics, and more.

Evidently, the conflict isn’t just about Israel and Palestine. Other countries are involved too. We looked at how China and the United States are trying to influence what happens. We also explored why some people in India support Israel so strongly.

The war has changed how Arab countries think about Palestine. Before, many were trying to make peace with Israel. Now, they are speaking up more for Palestinians. Our writers also looked at the groups fighting Israel, like Hamas and Hezbollah. We explored who leads these groups and what they want. This helps explain why the fighting keeps going.

In this special package, Frontline looks back at this year through a set of articles that explore what happened and why it matters.

Some articles ask hard questions about what might happen next. Will Israel stay in Gaza or leave? How will this affect peace in the whole region? We don’t have all the answers, but we share what experts think might happen.

This collection of articles tries to help readers understand a difficult and sad situation. We hope it shows why this conflict matters, not just for Israel and Palestine, but for the whole world. Read the stories, and write back with your comments. Also, if you’ve liked what you’ve read, please consider supporting us with a subscription.