The attack began on a Saturday morning, the holiday of Simchat Torah, at 6:29 am. Hamas launched approximately 4,300 rockets towards central and southern Israel. An Israeli military probe found that, under cover of the rocket barrage, roughly 6,000 Hamas terrorists and Palestinian looters crossed from the Gaza Strip into Israel.

Israel on October 7 marked the somber anniversary of the Hamas attack that killed more than 1,200 people and took some 250 hostages. Some 100 hostages remain in captivity, many of whom are believed dead.