Palestine, 2023 to today

Armed groups led by Hamas attacked southern Israel from Gaza. Some 1,200 people were killed, most of them civilians, and 251 people were taken hostage into Gaza.

Two days after the attack, Israel's defence minister, Yoav Gallant, announced a complete siege of the Gaza Strip, saying electricity, food, water and gas would all be cut off.

The Israeli military told the UN that everyone living north of Wadi Gaza, about 1.1 million people, should relocate to southern Gaza within 24 hours. The UN said such a movement was impossible without devastating humanitarian consequences and asked for the order to be rescinded.

An explosion at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City killed and injured many people. What caused it and how many people died are disputed.

The Israeli military said its ground forces were expanding their activity in Gaza as strikes cut the territory's remaining links to the outside world, leaving it in a communications and internet blackout.

Israeli forces entered al-Shifa, Gaza's largest hospital, which Israel said Hamas used as a command and control centre. A Washington Post investigation later found that the evidence Israel made public fell short of showing this.

A truce in Gaza from 24 November to 1 December 2023 saw 105 hostages released from Gaza and 240 Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails before fighting resumed.

In the case South Africa brought under the Genocide Convention, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent acts covered by the Convention in Gaza, to prevent and punish incitement, and to enable humanitarian assistance.

Palestinians were killed and wounded as crowds surrounded an aid convoy near Gaza City. Palestinian health officials and the Israeli military gave conflicting accounts of how they died and how many.

An Israeli airstrike hit a World Central Kitchen convoy leaving a warehouse in Deir al-Balah, killing seven aid workers: citizens of Australia, Poland and the United Kingdom, a dual US-Canadian citizen and a Palestinian. Netanyahu said the strike was unintentional.

An independent review led by Catherine Colonna found that UNRWA had significant mechanisms to ensure neutrality, probably more than other UN agencies, along with problems in applying them, and that Israel had not provided evidence for its claim that many UNRWA staff belong to terrorist organisations.

After telling about 100,000 people to leave parts of Rafah, Israel sent tanks into the city and took control of the Palestinian side of the border crossing with Egypt, in what it called a limited operation.

Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognised a Palestinian state on the same day. Israel condemned the move and summoned the three countries' ambassadors.

Israeli forces rescued four hostages held in Nuseirat in central Gaza. Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 274 Palestinians were killed during the operation.

Answering questions from the UN General Assembly, the International Court of Justice gave its opinion that Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and must end as rapidly as possible, and that new settlement activity must cease.

Ismail Haniyeh was killed with a bodyguard when the building where he was staying in Tehran was struck, while he was in the city for the Iranian president's inauguration. Hamas blamed Israel, which did not confirm or deny involvement at the time.

The UN's internal oversight office completed its investigation of 19 UNRWA staff accused of involvement in the 7 October attacks. It found evidence that nine may have been involved, and UNRWA said it would end their contracts.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution demanding that Israel end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory within 12 months, by 124 votes to 14, with 43 abstentions.

Israeli troops in Rafah killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in what appeared to be a chance encounter during fighting. Israel confirmed his identity through dental records, fingerprints and DNA.

The Knesset passed two laws, one barring UNRWA from any activity inside Israel and one barring Israeli officials from contact with the agency, set to take effect after 90 days.

Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court rejected Israel's challenges and issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, defence minister during the conduct in question.

A ceasefire brokered by the United States and France took effect in Lebanon, giving Israeli forces 60 days to withdraw while the Lebanese army deployed in the south.

A ceasefire took effect in Gaza at the start of a 42-day first phase. Hamas released three Israeli captives, and Israel was to free 90 Palestinian prisoners in exchange.

The Israeli military began an operation it named Iron Wall in Jenin refugee camp, then expanded it to the Tulkarm, Nur Shams and El Far'a camps. By February UNRWA said 40,000 Palestine refugees had been displaced.

President Trump signed Executive Order 14203, declaring a national emergency over the ICC's actions against Israel and the United States, blocking the property of designated persons and suspending their entry into the US.

A day after the first phase of the ceasefire ended, Israel stopped all humanitarian aid and fuel deliveries into Gaza and closed the crossings, saying Hamas had rejected a US proposal to extend the ceasefire.

Israel carried out a wave of air strikes across Gaza in the early hours, ending the ceasefire in place since January. Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 404 people were killed.

The UN human rights office recorded at least 1,373 Palestinians killed while seeking food in Gaza between 27 May and 31 July 2025, 859 of them near sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and 514 along food convoy routes.

Israel began strikes on Iran on 13 June 2025. The United States bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, on 22 June, and a ceasefire came into effect on 24 June.

A Defence Ministry planning committee gave final approval to E1, a settlement plan of about 3,400 housing units east of Jerusalem that had been proposed decades earlier. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said it practically erased the idea of a two-state solution.

An analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) found famine conditions in Gaza Governorate, projected to spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.

Israel struck the headquarters of Hamas's political leadership in Doha as its leaders met to discuss a US ceasefire proposal. Hamas said its top leaders survived and five members were killed; a Qatari security officer was also killed.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the occupied Palestinian territory, chaired by Navi Pillay, concluded that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognised the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025. France followed at a UN summit the next day, with Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco and Andorra.

Trump's administration published a 20-point plan for Gaza: the return of all hostages within 72 hours of Israel accepting it, a phased Israeli withdrawal, prisoner releases, amnesty for Hamas members who disarm, a temporary international stabilisation force and a Board of Peace chaired by Trump.

A ceasefire took effect at noon as the Israeli army completed its pullback to the "yellow line", keeping about 53 percent of the Gaza Strip, and a 72-hour countdown began for Hamas to return the hostages.

Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages, and Israel's prison service said it had transferred 1,968 Palestinian prisoners, as leaders met in Sharm el-Sheikh at a summit co-chaired by Trump and Egypt's president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The International Court of Justice gave its opinion that Israel, as occupying power, must agree to and facilitate relief schemes for the population of the occupied Palestinian territory, cooperate in good faith with the UN including UNRWA, and respect the prohibition on starvation as a method of warfare.

The Knesset approved, by 25 votes to 24, a preliminary reading of a bill to apply Israeli law and sovereignty to the West Bank. Netanyahu's Likud boycotted the vote and criticised its timing during a visit by US Vice President JD Vance.

The UN Security Council adopted resolution 2803, endorsing the US plan, welcoming the Board of Peace and authorising a temporary International Stabilization Force in Gaza until the end of 2027. China and Russia abstained.

By December 2025 OCHA counted 925 obstacles to Palestinian movement in the West Bank, including 232 road gates, 43 percent more than the annual average of the preceding 20 years.

In February 2026 Israel's security cabinet approved measures extending the authority of Israeli ministries into the occupied West Bank, part of what Chatham House calls an accelerating de facto annexation.

Speaking at a conference in a West Bank settlement, Netanyahu said he had directed the army to expand its control of Gaza to 70 percent of the Strip, up from an estimated 64 percent.

OCHA reported that the "orange line" placed 64.9 percent of the Gaza Strip under tighter and more direct Israeli control, up from about 53 percent at the yellow line of October 2025.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decreed elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council on 28 November 2026, the first since 2006. A new election law requires candidates to endorse the PLO's programme, which includes recognising Israel.

The International Criminal Court's member states voted to remove its prosecutor, Karim Khan, over allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. The removal was not about the Palestine case, and existing arrest warrants stayed in force.

Amnesty International's report "Made in India" identified at least 2,596 shipments of arms, parts and ammunition exported from India to Israel between 7 October 2023 and 30 November 2025, and called on India to stop authorising such exports.

Trump announced that the Board of Peace had reached an agreement for the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, in phases, with Israeli forces to withdraw as disarmament is verified. Hamas said it would not act unless Israel met its withdrawal obligations; Israel had not publicly agreed.

In Israel's first general election since 7 October 2023, Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats, the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot 48 and Arab-led parties 19, leaving no bloc with the 61 seats needed for a majority.

Medical sources said Israeli attacks killed at least four Palestinians in central and southern Gaza, including a child. Gaza's Health Ministry put the number killed since the October 2025 ceasefire at 1,602.