Following Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7, the conflict finally came to a "temporary halt" with the four-day ceasefire deal struck between Israel and Hamas coming into effect on Friday.
Gaza, effectively an open-air prison and home to some 2.2 million residents, has since then witnessed nearly more than 14,000 Palestinians — including over 5,000 children being martyred — with more than 35,000 wounded and 1.5 million being displaced resulting in unprecedented human catastrophe in the besieged territory.
The world has witnessed unspeakable instances of human suffering over the last 48 days, and it is crucial to review the significant events that appear to have changed the Middle East for the worse.
Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel with hundreds of its fighters penetrating into Israeli territory on October 7.
The ensuing fighting resulted in more than 1,200 Israelis being killed and 240 being taken hostage and smuggled into the Gaza Strip by Hamas.
Two days later on October 9, Israel launched its Gaza offensive beginning with Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, and imposed a "complete siege" cutting off all essential supplies including water, electricity, fuel, and food to the besieged territory.
Four days later, Gazans are given a 24-hour deadline by Israeli forces to evacuate the northern part of the strip and move "south".
As many as 471 Palestinians were martyred in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza's Al Ahli hospital compound.
Israel, however, denied the responsibility blaming the incident on a "misfire" rocket by Islamic Jihad — an accusation vehemently denied by the group.
With the war raging on, a glimpse of hope emerged after Hamas released two American hostages Judith Raanan and her daughter Natalie on October 20.
Three days later, the group further released two elderly Israeli hostages Yocheved Lifschitz and Nurit Kuper aged 85 and 79, respectively.
On October 26, Tanks operated by Israeli forces raided Gaza to clear the way for the Israeli army, infantry who were to follow the armoured wall.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that his country is in for a "long" offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, Egyp opened its Rafah border crossing with the besieged territory on November 1 courtesy of a deal brokered between Israel, Hamas, and Egypt by Qatar.
With the border crossing now open, dozens of wounded Palestinians, along with foreigners and dual nationals made their way into Egypt to flee the war-torn Gaza.
After weeks of relentless bombings, the Israeli military announced it had "surrounded" Gaza City on November 2.
A day later, Israel expels hundreds of Palestinians who have been stranded in Israel since October 7.
With the Israeli offensive showing no signs of stopping, or slowing down, the Palestinian death toll surpassed the 10,000 mark on November 6.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls Gaza a "cemetery for children" and demands an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" due to the human catastrophe being unfolded in the territory.
After days of alleged claims of a Hamas headquarters underneath, Israeli troops launched a night raid on Al Shifa hospital — Gaza's largest medical facility — on November 15.
The incursion resulted in worldwide condemnation by human rights organisations who have been repeatedly calling for a ceasefire due to the dire humanitarian situation in the besieged territory.
With world powers including the United States, Qatar, and others fiercely striving for a ceasefire, Israel and Hamas agreed on a four-day temporary "truce" on October 22 including the provision of a hostage swap between the two warring parties.
On November 24, the temporary ceasefire came into effect with 39 Palestinian women and children being released from Israeli prisons.
Meanwhile, Hamas released 13 Israeli hostages, along with 12 Thai nationals.
— Additional input from AFP
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