On Saturday morning, October 7, 2023, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), launched a large-scale military operation against Israel, called "Al-Aqsa Flood", in response to the ongoing attacks by the occupation forces against Palestinians.

These are the most important milestones and events that took place in the first 4 days of this operation:

Fourth day

  • The Israeli army declares control of the entire Gaza perimeter and says there are no more clashes with Palestinian militants.
  • Israel's Channel 12 reports that the Air Force transported hundreds of regular and reserve soldiers from all over Europe to Israel.
  • Renewed Israeli raids on several areas in the Gaza Strip and the death of journalists, including journalists.
  • UNRWA: Mass displacement has escalated across the Gaza Strip in recent hours, reaching more than 187,<> people.
  • America announces through several officials that it will go ahead with providing Israel with ammunition and weapons, and warns Iran against getting involved in the conflict.
  • The IDF publishes the names of 38 additional soldiers killed since the start of the clashes, bringing the announced total to 124 soldiers and officers killed since the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.


Third day

  • IDF Radio: The commander of the Tzalim base was injured during clashes with militants in Sderot.
  • 18 killed in an Israeli shelling targeting Rafah and 5 killed in a raid east of Khan Yunis.
  • Yedioth Ahronoth: The number of Israelis killed is estimated at 150,<> and the number of "kidnapped" at more than <>.
  • Ministry of Health in Gaza: The Israeli shelling on the Gaza Strip led to the death of 436, including 91 children and 61 women, and the injury of 2271, including 244 children and 151 women.
  • Sources for Al Jazeera: Qassam Brigades capture a new group of Israelis. And a senior Israeli source: the number of victims cannot be absorbed.
  • IDF: 300,<> reservists called up in the largest operation of its kind ever.
  • Al-Qassam Spokesman: The Israeli occupation bombardment of Gaza led to the death of 4 enemy prisoners and the martyrdom of their captors.
  • Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for the operation in southern Lebanon and reports that 6 Israeli soldiers were wounded.


The second day

  • Israel Broadcasting Corporation: The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack rises to 300 dead and more than 1590,<> injured.
  • Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida: The number of Israeli prisoners is many times more than Netanyahu believes.
  • Israeli media: Estimates of the presence of about a hundred Israeli prisoners - including civilians, soldiers and officers - in Gaza.
  • Former Mossad chief to CNN: We did not receive any warning of any kind, and what happened was a complete surprise.
  • An Israeli raid destroys the "Watan Tower" in Gaza City.
  • Jerusalem Post: 750 Israelis are missing, according to unofficial estimates.
  • IDF: We began overnight a complete evacuation of the residents of the Gaza periphery, and our forces continue to search for militants in 7 locations.
  • Lebanese Hezbollah: We targeted 3 Israeli occupation sites in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms area.
  • Al-Qassam: Commando fighters carried out a successful operation with 5 boats on the shores of Ashkelon and took control of positions.
  • US Secretary of Defense: I ordered the movement of the aircraft carrier "Gerald Ford" to the eastern Mediterranean to strengthen regional deterrence efforts.
  • Hamas: Moving the US aircraft carrier does not scare us, and the US administration must understand the consequences of this step.
  • Palestinian Health: 413 martyrs - including 78 children and 41 women and about 2300 wounded - as a result of the occupation aggression on the Gaza Strip.
  • Israeli media: 40 border policemen killed, 120 injured, and 18 others disconnected in the south.
  • Abu Obeida: Our fighters were able to take a new group of enemy prisoners and cross them to the Gaza Strip, and the enemy killed a number of its soldiers after they were captured by Qassam fighters.


First day

  • At dawn on October 7: Gliders carrying Qassam fighters penetrate Israeli airspace on the Gaza border, and shortly thereafter fighters stormed the separation fence with motorcycles, SUVs, and on foot.
  • The commander of the Qassam Brigades, Muhammad al-Deif, announces the launch of the operation "Al-Aqsa Flood", and says that the first strike witnessed the launch of more than 5,<> missiles at the enemy, explaining that "the Al-Aqsa flood is greater than the occupation thinks and believes."
  • The Israeli occupation army announces that Hamas has begun a double operation, which included firing rockets and infiltrating armed men into Israeli territory.
  • Al-Qassam publishes photos showing the capture of a number of Israeli soldiers after their members infiltrated into the settlements surrounding Gaza.
  • Israel Radio: Hamas has captured 35 Israelis so far.
  • Israeli sources: More than 40 Israeli dead and 750 wounded in security tension with Gaza.
  • Israel's Channel 13: 50 hostages in the settlement of Be'eri, and the army is fighting in the town of Kfar Azza.
  • Israel's Channel 12: At least a hundred Israelis killed in Hamas attack.
  • Ministry of Interior in Gaza: Israeli warplanes destroy Al-Hashem residential building north of Gaza.
  • Al-Qassam Brigades Spokesman: Dozens of prisoners, officers and soldiers, are in our grasp, and the prisoners were secured in safe places and in the tunnels of the resistance.
  • Israel's Channel 13: Israeli death toll rises to 250.
  • Al-Qassam Brigades: We launched a large missile strike with 150 rockets towards Tel Aviv in response to the shelling of the residential tower in the center of Gaza City.
  • IDF Spokesman: The commander of the Nahal Brigade was killed today in a confrontation with a gunman near Kerem Shalom.