Hamas October 7 Attacks: Comprehensive List of Verified Atrocities

Hamas hates Israel and hates Jews. This we know.

But when it came to their actions on October 7th, some things don't add up.

If Hamas hadn't been so set on torturing Israelis, they actually could have done a lot more harm. If they didn't take their time raping civilians, mutilating parents in front of their children (and vice versa) and other evil straight out of a horror movie, they could have easily moved on to other areas and slaughtered more Jews.

1. Provocation of a Disproportionate Response for Strategic Gain

Hamas anticipated a massive Israeli retaliation and viewed it as beneficial, intending to "overthrow the situation" by drawing global attention to the Palestinian cause amid perceived stagnation in peace efforts. Leaders like Khaled Mashal acknowledged the expected costs, including Palestinian sacrifices, as necessary for "liberation." The brutality was calibrated to provoke outrage and escalation, potentially isolating Israel internationally, rallying support from allies like Iran, and leveraging hostages (taken as a "strategic card") to negotiate the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners. This aligns with Hamas's justification of the attack as retaliation for Israeli policies, including the Gaza blockade since 2007, encroachments on holy sites like Al-Aqsa Mosque, and violence in Judea and Samaria.

2. Ideological Commitment to Violent Jihad and Resistance

Hamas's founding charter and subsequent rhetoric frame the conflict as a religious duty to "liberate" all historic Palestine through armed struggle, viewing violence against Israel as legitimate resistance to occupation. The group's leaders have described such attacks as necessary to annihilate Israel, with plans for the October 7 operation dating back to at least 2021, including simulations of assaults on settlements. The brutality aligns with an ideology that glorifies "martyrdom" and radicalizes supporters, aiming to instill a "culture of resistance" among Palestinians. This shift from prior tactics (like rocket fire or suicide bombings) to large-scale massacres represented a deliberate escalation, contradicting Hamas's occasional claims of moderation post-2007.

The aftermath of Hamas attack on Be'eri, the Israeli kibbutz on the border on October 7 (Photo: Roman Yanushevsky / Shutterstock)

3. Psychological Warfare and Terror to Instill Fear

A key tactical goal was to maximize terror and demoralize the Israeli population, pressuring its government for concessions like prisoner exchanges. The vicious acts, filming executions, parading semi-naked bodies, and using children to lure families out of hiding, were designed to humiliate, degrade, and create lasting trauma, with sexual violence serving as a "weapon of war" to dehumanize victims and assert dominance, particularly over women. By targeting vulnerable groups and disseminating videos online, Hamas sought to amplify fear, disrupt Israeli society, and radicalize a new generation of Palestinians through propaganda that portrayed the violence as heroic.

Based on reports from international organizations, forensic analyses, eyewitness testimonies, and verified media investigations, the following is a detailed list of the war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other atrocities committed during the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel. This assault involved Hamas's Qassam Brigades and at least four other groups (Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Popular Resistance Committees, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades).

These acts were premeditated, as evidenced by planning documents, fighter instructions, and coordinated execution. International bodies like the UN, HRW, and Amnesty International classify them as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Note that while some early accounts were exaggerated or corrected (e.g., due to chaos in body recovery), the overall pattern is supported by multiple independent sources.

The attacks targeted at least 19 kibbutzim, 5 moshavim, the cities of Sderot and Ofakim, two music festivals, and a beach party, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths (mostly civilians) and the abduction of over 250 hostages. The list focuses on verified acts, though there are other frightening and disturbing claims too.

Palestinians storm Israeli territory, east of the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, October 7, 2023. (Photo: Anas-Mohammed / Shutterstock)

- Intentional Targeting and Willful Killing of Civilians: Fighters deliberately attacked non-combatants, firing directly at people fleeing, driving vehicles, or hiding in shelters. At the Supernova music festival, over 360 civilians were killed, many shot at close range or executed after capture. In kibbutzim like Be'eri and Kfar Aza, terrorists went house-to-house, killing families, including children and the elderly. Summary executions occurred, such as shooting people in custody or after surrender.

- Attacks on Civilian Objects and Indiscriminate Violence: Grenades were hurled into homes and safe rooms, rocket-propelled grenades fired at buildings, and houses set on fire, burning occupants alive or forcing them out to be shot. Civilian infrastructure, including homes, vehicles, and social events, was targeted without military justification.

- Hostage-Taking and Wrongful Imprisonment: Over 250 civilians and soldiers were abducted, including women, children, and the elderly, and taken to Gaza. This included systematic kidnapping from homes and events, with ongoing detention constituting a continuing war crime. Some hostages were killed en route or in captivity.

- Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: There is credible evidence of a pattern of rape (male on female and male on male), gang rape, sexual assault, and mutilation targeting women and girls (and some men) at multiple sites, including Route 232, kibbutzim, and the Nova festival. Acts included penetration during or after killing, genital mutilation (e.g., shooting, cutting, or stabbing vaginas, breasts, and penises), and sexualized torture. Victims ranged from teenagers to the elderly; some assaults occurred in front of family members or audiences to amplify humiliation. Forensic evidence from autopsies and photos showed bodies with torn clothing, bound limbs, and signs of abuse in genital areas.

- Cruel and Inhumane Treatment, Including Torture: Victims were subjected to physical abuse, such as beatings, burns, and disfigurement while alive. Eyewitnesses reported Hamas terrorists "playing" with body parts, inserting objects into wounds, and prolonging suffering. Some were burned alive in homes or vehicles.

- Mutilation and Desecration of Bodies (Alive and Dead): Bodies were mutilated with knives, bullets, or other tools, including severing limbs, genitals, or breasts. Corpses were desecrated postmortem, such as by being stripped, posed, paraded through Gaza streets or online as "victory trophies," spat on, or further damaged. This included both male and female victims, with sexualized elements (e.g., exposing private parts). Forensic reports confirmed dozens of bodies with such signs, including nails driven into thighs/groins and scissors used for mutilation.

- Use of Human Shields: Fighters positioned themselves among civilians or used captured individuals as shields during assaults and retreats.

- Pillage and Looting: Homes, vehicles, and personal belongings were ransacked, with valuables stolen and property destroyed.

- Indiscriminate Rocket Fire: Prior to and during the ground assault, thousands of rockets were launched toward Israeli civilian areas, causing additional deaths and injuries.

- Involvement of Civilians in Atrocities: Some Gaza civilians followed through breaches in the border fence, participating in killings, abductions, and looting.