BBC News:
The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented assault on Israel on 7 October, with hundreds of gunmen infiltrating communities near the Gaza Strip.
At least 1,400 Israelis were killed, while the Israeli military says 203 soldiers and civilians, including women and children, were taken to Gaza as hostages.
More than 4,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in air and artillery strikes carried out by the Israeli military in response. Israeli troops are also massing along the Gaza boundary and Palestinians are bracing themselves for a major ground operation.
Israel has at the same time imposed a total blockade on the territory, denying it food, fuel and other essentials.
