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Ongoing story / Israel

The Israel-Hamas war: Israel's offensives in Gaza and the civilian toll

Overview · reviewed October 28, 2026

Israel's campaign in Gaza expanded from the north into Khan Younis and Rafah, forcing Palestinians to move repeatedly and leaving civilians exposed in homes, hospitals and shelters. Gaza's Health Ministry reported more than 25,000 Palestinians killed by January 2024. A ceasefire collapsed in March 2025, and Israel later approved a plan to take over Gaza City.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · monthly average of weekly shares (UTC)

Oct 2023: average weekly share 32% (left 11%, center 15%, right 7%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2023: average weekly share 31% (left 10%, center 15%, right 7%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2023: average weekly share 29% (left 10%, center 13%, right 5%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2024: average weekly share 21% (left 7%, center 10%, right 4%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2024: average weekly share 18% (left 6%, center 9%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2024: average weekly share 7% (left 3%, center 3%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2024: average weekly share 19% (left 6%, center 9%, right 4%), from 5 of 5 weeksMay 2024: average weekly share 23% (left 6%, center 11%, right 6%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2024: average weekly share 16% (left 5%, center 8%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2024: average weekly share 17% (left 5%, center 9%, right 3%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2024: average weekly share 15% (left 4%, center 8%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2024: average weekly share 10% (left 3%, center 6%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2024: average weekly share 22% (left 6%, center 11%, right 5%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2024: average weekly share 10% (left 3%, center 5%, right 2%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2024: average weekly share 12% (left 3%, center 6%, right 2%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2025: average weekly share 4% (left 1%, center 2%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2025: average weekly share 14% (left 4%, center 7%, right 3%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2025: average weekly share 12% (left 3%, center 6%, right 2%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2025: average weekly share 17% (left 5%, center 9%, right 4%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2025: average weekly share 3% (left 1%, center 2%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2025: average weekly share 6% (left 2%, center 3%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2025: average weekly share 22% (left 7%, center 12%, right 4%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2025: average weekly share 9% (left 3%, center 5%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2026: average weekly share under 1% (left 0%, center 0%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2026: average weekly share under 1% (left 0%, center 0%, right under 1%), from 2 of 2 weeks, so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. Over more than two years each bar is a month: the average of that month's weekly shares, so the shape stays readable. The weekly table below keeps every week. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 13 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (92 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Nov 2, 20260033 of 4711%
Sep 28, 20260033 of 4761%
Sep 15, 20251222337 of 19119%
Sep 8, 2025714324 of 21411%
Sep 1, 2025813627 of 17715%
Aug 25, 20251528548 of 19924%
Aug 18, 2025910423 of 19112%
Aug 11, 20251324643 of 18124%
Aug 4, 202514301256 of 19429%
Jul 28, 20250101 of 1871%
Jul 14, 20251115632 of 18417%
Jul 7, 20254408 of 1914%
Jun 30, 20253205 of 2172%
Jun 23, 20251203 of 1372%
Jun 9, 202546313 of 1997%
Jun 2, 20251809 of 1895%
May 26, 20251020636 of 19119%
May 19, 2025614525 of 19713%
May 12, 2025819936 of 20218%
May 5, 20251217837 of 20118%
Apr 28, 20253227 of 2043%
Apr 21, 202588218 of 2069%
Apr 14, 2025921434 of 20117%
Apr 7, 2025820634 of 19418%
Mar 31, 20251125743 of 20521%
Mar 24, 202539416 of 1948%
Mar 17, 202521341671 of 19536%
Mar 10, 20252507 of 1984%
Jan 20, 202516310 of 2264%
Jan 6, 2025515222 of 22110%
Dec 30, 2024610319 of 19510%
Dec 23, 20241029746 of 19224%
Dec 16, 20241012628 of 22612%
Dec 9, 202457416 of 2088%
Dec 2, 202447415 of 2287%
Nov 25, 20241113 of 1782%
Nov 18, 2024410519 of 2258%
Nov 11, 20241120940 of 21119%
Nov 4, 2024814628 of 22313%
Oct 28, 20241116229 of 19615%
Oct 21, 2024412723 of 19912%
Oct 14, 202419282067 of 19534%
Oct 7, 202414341159 of 20529%
Sep 30, 20241017633 of 22215%
Sep 16, 2024918633 of 20916%
Sep 9, 20241529448 of 23021%
Sep 2, 20241001 of 212under 1%
Aug 26, 202458215 of 2047%
Aug 19, 202429516 of 2098%
Aug 12, 2024817429 of 21713%
Aug 5, 202416331261 of 20230%
Jul 29, 202424391780 of 22835%
Jul 22, 202414251049 of 23421%
Jul 8, 202489118 of 18410%
Jul 1, 20241024539 of 21318%
Jun 24, 2024514221 of 2508%
Jun 17, 20241619540 of 22218%
Jun 10, 20241118635 of 24714%
Jun 3, 202413251149 of 22821%
May 27, 202420381775 of 24730%
May 20, 202410181240 of 22618%
May 13, 202412271049 of 21623%
May 6, 202417201350 of 23621%
Apr 29, 20241219839 of 23716%
Apr 22, 20241522845 of 22320%
Apr 15, 20241614737 of 24715%
Apr 8, 202416261759 of 26422%
Apr 1, 20241827954 of 26420%
Mar 25, 202453311 of 2454%
Mar 18, 20242121951 of 24621%
Mar 11, 202463110 of 2434%
Feb 19, 20241823748 of 23221%
Feb 12, 20242331660 of 24225%
Feb 5, 202418331263 of 24226%
Jan 29, 202415181144 of 23519%
Jan 22, 202419331163 of 23826%
Jan 15, 20241820442 of 22319%
Jan 8, 20241114631 of 24313%
Jan 1, 202417321261 of 23226%
Dec 25, 202327291167 of 20732%
Dec 18, 202324291467 of 23628%
Dec 11, 202315271254 of 22524%
Dec 4, 202321321164 of 21729%
Nov 27, 202320261460 of 23526%
Nov 20, 202310271047 of 20123%
Nov 13, 202328402088 of 21541%
Nov 6, 202331391484 of 23735%
Oct 30, 202329381683 of 23336%
Oct 23, 202332411891 of 23838%
Oct 16, 202330452398 of 24840%
Oct 9, 2023334820101 of 23743%
Oct 2, 20233418 of 2433%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Nov 4, 2026 · first reported · Headline from RealClear Investigations

    Hamas' Own Numbers Debunk Claims of Gaza Peril

Background

Israel's military ordered about a million people in northern Gaza to move south in October 2023 ahead of an expected ground invasion. The UN warned of devastating humanitarian consequences.[7] On October 17, a blast struck Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City. Gaza's Health Ministry reported hundreds killed; Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while Israel's military blamed a misfired Palestinian rocket.[8]

Read the full background (4 more paragraphs)

Israeli ground forces moved deeper into Gaza at the end of October, and the military later said it had encircled Gaza City.[9] Airstrikes flattened apartment buildings in Jabaliya refugee camp. Israel said the strikes destroyed a Hamas command centre and tunnels in civilian housing.[1] Fighting around hospitals left patients and medical staff trapped with dwindling supplies and no electricity, according to health officials.[10] Israeli troops entered Al-Shifa hospital, which Israel said concealed Hamas headquarters. Hamas denied that claim, and reporting in the early days of the raid said Israel's evidence had yet to substantiate the claimed command centre.[11]

After a weeklong truce expired in December 2023, Israel resumed airstrikes.[12] The military widened evacuation orders and bombardment around Khan Younis, where displaced Palestinians had sought refuge.[2] By January 2024, Gaza's Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll had exceeded 25,000.[4] In May, Israel confirmed its forces were operating in central Rafah as its southern offensive expanded.[3]

Strikes also hit schools sheltering displaced people. In June 2024, an Israeli strike on a UN-run school killed dozens, according to reporting citing Gaza officials. Israel said it targeted militants using the school.[13] In August, Palestinian health authorities reported at least 80 deaths in a strike on the Tabeen school in Gaza City; Israel said it hit a Hamas command centre there.[14]

Israeli forces killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza in October 2024. Sinwar was a chief architect of the October 7 attack.[15] The January 2025 ceasefire collapsed in March when Israel resumed large-scale strikes; Palestinian health officials reported more than 400 people killed overnight.[5] In August, Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to take over Gaza City.[6] Later that month, Israeli strikes on a hospital in southern Gaza killed at least 20 people. The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera confirmed that journalists and freelancers working for them were among those killed.[16]

Supporting stories (16)
  1. Israeli airstrikes crush apartments in Gaza refugee camp, as ground troops battle Hamas militants
  2. Israel orders evacuations as it widens offensive but Palestinians are running out of places to go
  3. Israel confirms its forces are in central Rafah, defying international condemnation of operation in southern Gazan city
  4. Palestinian death toll in Gaza surpasses 25,000 with no end in sight to Israel-Hamas war
  5. Hamas fires rockets at Israel for first time since truce collapses as toll mounts in Gaza - Boston News, Weather, Sports
  6. Israel announces plan to retake Gaza City in another escalation of the war
  7. Palestinians flee northern Gaza after Israel orders 1 million to evacuate as ground attack looms
  8. French intelligence points to Palestinian rocket for Gaza hospital blast
  9. Israel encircled Gaza City. Here's what we know about its ground assault.
  10. Israeli soldiers search Gaza’s largest hospital
  11. Israel reveals signs of Hamas activity at Shifa, but a promised command center remains elusive
  12. Israeli airstrikes on Gaza resume after weeklong truce with Hamas ends
  13. Israeli strike kills at least 33 people at a Gaza school the military claims was being used by Hamas
  14. Israeli strike kills nearly 100 in Gaza school refuge, civil defense officials say
  15. Israel and Hamas signal they are no closer to ending Gaza war after Sinwar’s death
  16. Israeli strikes on Gaza hospital kill 22 people, including 5 journalists

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 352 recorded updates

November 2026

  1. Hamas' Own Numbers Debunk Claims of Gaza PerilHeadline from RealClear Investigations · 3 outlets

September 2026

  1. Israel Defense Forces claims 170 journalists killed in Gaza strikes were actually terroristsHeadline from Just the News · 3 outlets

September 2025

  1. Israel's military says its expanded operation in Gaza City has begun and warns residents to leaveHeadline from ABC 7 Los Angeles · 9 outlets
  2. Israel Launches Ground Offensive on Gaza CityHeadline from Foreign Policy · 27 outlets
  3. Israeli strikes kill more than 40 people in Gaza, say health officials, ahead of UN meetingHeadline from NBC News · 19 outlets
  4. Israeli troops press forward into Gaza City as Palestinians fleeHeadline from NBC New York · 12 outlets
  5. Satellite images reveal wide destruction in Gaza City as Israel steps up assaultHeadline from Local News 8 · 14 outlets
  6. Middle East: Israel urges Gaza City residents to move south – DWHeadline from Deutsche Welle · 7 outlets
  7. Israel orders full evacuation of Gaza City as Netanyahu warns ‘this is only the beginning’Headline from CNN · 22 outlets
  8. Pope Leo raises 'tragic situation in Gaza' in meeting with Israeli presidentHeadline from Al-Monitor · 8 outlets

August 2025

  1. Israel kills Hamas spokesperson as security cabinet meets to discuss expanding offensive in GazaHeadline from KOB 4 · 11 outlets
  2. Israel declares Gaza City a combat zone, says it has begun 'initial stages' of attackHeadline from NBC News · 10 outlets
  3. Global media outlets unite to protest Israel’s killing of journalists in GazaHeadline from KRDO · 15 outlets
  4. Israeli military says strikes on Gaza hospital targeted a Hamas camera, without providing evidenceHeadline from The Boston Globe · 21 outlets
  5. Israeli strikes on Gaza hospital kill 22 people, including 5 journalistsHeadline from NPR · 42 outlets
  6. Israel begins attack on Gaza City, calling up to 60,000 reservistsHeadline from ABC 7 New York · 26 outlets
  7. Israel prepares to move Palestinians to southern Gaza as Israelis urge mass protest over warHeadline from CBS News · 13 outlets
  8. 5 Al Jazeera journalists killed in Israeli strike in GazaHeadline from BNO News · 42 outlets
  9. Netanyahu defends new military offensive in Gaza and says it will be wider than announcedHeadline from ABC 13 Houston · 38 outlets
  10. Israel announces plan to retake Gaza City in another escalation of the warHeadline from ABC 13 Houston · 46 outlets
  11. Israel plans to expand the war in Gaza. Here’s what we knowHeadline from KVIA El Paso · 9 outlets
  12. Netanyahu to convene security cabinet to discuss plans to occupy Gaza, official saysHeadline from ABC 13 Houston · 20 outlets

July 2025

  1. Christian leaders make rare visit to Gaza following deadly Israeli church attackHeadline from Local News 8 · 10 outlets
  2. Pope Leo XIV renews his call for immediate ceasefire after Israeli attack on Gaza churchHeadline from PBS NewsHour · 11 outlets
  3. Israeli strike hits Gaza church, killing 3 and wounding priest who was close to Pope FrancisHeadline from ABC 7 San Francisco · 21 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →