The attack that changed everything

On October 7, 2023, Hamas killed 1,200 people in attacks on Israel, triggering a war in Gaza that continues three years later. Jewish communities worldwide are marking the third anniversary with memorials.

The hostages and the trauma

Hamas took 251 hostages on October 7. Of those, 166 have returned alive, and the remains of the last deceased captive were released to Israel in January. The attacks were the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Gaza's devastation

Israel's military campaign has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, since October 2023. Most of Gaza's 2 million residents have been displaced from their homes into makeshift shelters and refugee camps with hunger and disease.

Iran's weakened position

Iran had relied on Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon to project power and deter Israel. After October 7, Israel significantly weakened both groups, leaving Iran vulnerable and setting the stage for direct Israeli and US strikes on Iran last winter.

Israel's diplomatic isolation

Across 36 countries surveyed by Pew last spring, a median of 67 percent of adults viewed Israel negatively. 155 countries now officially recognize Palestinian statehood, up from 136 before the war, including longtime allies like the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

American support fractures

While more than half of Americans had a favorable view of Israel before October 7, sentiment deteriorated sharply in 2025 and 2026, particularly on the left. Israel has become a huge flashpoint in US domestic politics and could help determine key midterm races.

The aid debate

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has called for ending US military aid to Israel in the Michigan Senate election. Nearly half of House Democrats and many potential presidential candidates have also endorsed this policy, though cutting aid is unlikely to change Israeli policy.

Pressure needed to shift policy

Changing Israeli policy on Gaza and the West Bank would require far more aggressive pressure than cutting aid. Israel is wealthy and American aid represents just a small piece of its budget, making such pressure unlikely in the current political environment.

A cascade that continues

A single day kicked off a cascade of hurt and horrors. Putting an end to them will take far more time, as the consequences of October 7 and Israel's response continue to reshape global and domestic politics.

“A single day may have kicked off a cascade of hurt and horrors. But putting an end to them will take far more time.”