Two years have passed since Israeli ground forces entered the Gaza Strip, launching a military campaign that reshaped the region and remains unfinished to this day. The Israel Defense Forces marked the anniversary on Monday, stating that its troops “continue to eliminate threats, dismantle Hamas terror infrastructure and work to bring every hostage home.”
The ground incursion began on Oct. 27, 2023, following three weeks of intensive airstrikes targeting Hamas in response to the attacks of Oct. 7. According to the military, soldiers from the IDF’s 401st Armored Brigade were the first to cross into Gaza. Reports at the time indicated that Israel had postponed the start of the maneuver at the request of the Biden administration, which moved air-defense assets into the region to protect U.S. forces from expected retaliation.
🎥 WATCH: Two years since the beginning of the ground operation in Gaza, IDF troops have continued to eliminate threats, dismantle Hamas terror infrastructure, and work to bring every hostage home. pic.twitter.com/sUjInpAV9Z
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 27, 2025
From that point onward, the fighting expanded beyond Gaza. What the IDF termed the “War of Redemption” spread to seven fronts: Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Yemen. Throughout the campaign, the IDF targeted senior Hamas figures and reported the elimination of key leaders, among them Gaza-based chief Yahya Sinwar; Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas’s political bureau; his deputy Saleh al-Arouri; Mohammed Deif, commander of Hamas’s military wing; and his deputy Marwan Issa.
The cost has been significant. According to Israeli military figures, 470 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of ground operations. Across all fronts since Oct. 7, 2023, the total number of fallen soldiers has risen to 920. The IDF states that 2,980 troops have been wounded in Gaza, with 149 still hospitalized as of Monday afternoon, including 13 in serious condition.
The fate of the hostages remains one of the most pressing and painful aspects of the war. Out of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas and its terrorist allies during the massacre 751 days ago, the remains of 13 slain captives are still in Gaza.
Earlier this month, Israel agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal that led to the partial withdrawal of IDF forces from parts of the Strip. Israel still maintains control over roughly half of Gaza’s territory. On Monday, Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the military’s recommendation to cancel the “Special Situation on the Home Front” in the south—an emergency measure that had been extended multiple times since October 2023.
Despite the repositioning of forces, Israeli officials emphasize that the military’s mission remains unchanged: ensure that Hamas cannot rebuild its military capabilities, protect Israeli communities from further attacks and bring every hostage home. The IDF has stated that operations in Gaza and other arenas will continue as necessary to achieve those goals.
