It has been one month since Hamas launched its October 7 attack on Israel. Since that time, the death toll has reportedly passed 10,000 people in Gaza, and at least 1,400 people in Israel.
The United Nations has repeated its calls for a ceasefire, while Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said there will be “no ceasefire until hostages are returned”.
Mass protests calling for a ceasefire, and the release of the hostages, have taken place in cities around the world.
Here’s the latest.
October 7 attack
In an attack on Israel on 7 October, Hamas killed over 1,400 people including civilians and captured over 240 hostages.
Hamas, which controls Gaza, is considered a terrorist organisation by Australia. Israel has declared war and has continued to bomb Gaza as it tries to “eliminate Hamas”.
Gaza is a small, densely-populated territory that the Australian Government regards as occupied by Israel in breach of international law. Its residents are typically unable to leave and most rely on humanitarian aid.
Death toll in Gaza
Gaza’s health ministry, which is run by Hamas, said the death toll has surpassed 10,000 people overnight. That includes more than 4,000 children and 2,550 women.
The number of casualties in Gaza cannot be independently confirmed. However, the UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, has cited the same figures.
Situation inside Gaza
The UN reports 1.5 million people have been displaced in Gaza since 7 October. It also reports 700,000 people are in facilities operated by the UN.
Over the past week, Israeli airstrikes have hit three refugee camps in Gaza: Al Bureij, Al Maghazi, and Jabalia. The Gaza Health Ministry said the majority of those killed were women and children.
Last weekend, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said “Hamas uses the people of Gaza as human shields by embedding itself among them”.
Gaza City
Israel’s military said it’s advancing into Gaza City, a densely populated area in Gaza’s north, from multiple sides. 160,000 internally displaced people are estimated to be sheltering in UN facilities in Gaza City.
Israel has repeated calls for civilians in northern Gaza to move south. It claims Hamas has been physically stopping people moving south.
However, the UN said intense bombardments have taken place
in southern Gaza.
Hostages
Israeli officials estimate more than 240 hostages remain in Gaza, including about 30 children.
So far, four hostages have been released by Hamas. One hostage was freed by Israeli forces in a ground operation. Netanyahu has said he will not agree to a ceasefire unless all hostages are released.
The UN says Hamas is carrying out an “indiscriminate firing of rockets” into Israel which it says is continuing to “traumatise families”.
Netanyahu comments
In an interview today with U.S. television network ABC, Netanyahu said Israel will have the “overall security responsibility” in Gaza for an “indefinite period”.
Netanyahu said he will leave open the possibility of “tactical little pauses” to allow “humanitarian goods to come in, or hostages, individual hostages to leave”.
UN response
The UN has repeatedly called for a ceasefire, which is a suspension of fighting.
In a joint statement, leaders of 18 UN agencies and international charities expressed “shock and horror” at the number of people killed in the conflict, including at least 88 UN aid workers.
It added: “We renew our plea for the parties to respect all their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. We renew our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians held hostage.”
