Middle East

A week in Israel and Gaza in 20 horrifying and tragic photographs

From the aftermath of Hamas’s brutal assault on Israel to Israel’s declaration of war, it has been a week of unspeakable bloodshed and death in the Middle East

Smoke plumes billow during Israeli air strikes in Gaza City. Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images
Smoke plumes billow during Israeli air strikes in Gaza City. Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images
Fri Oct 13 2023 - 14:09
A woman pays tribute in Dizingof Square in Tel Aviv as people light candles in memory of the civilians and soldiers killed, and for the hostages that were taken to the Gaza Strip. Photograph: Amir Levy/Getty Images
A woman pays tribute in Dizingof Square in Tel Aviv as people light candles in memory of the civilians and soldiers killed, and for the hostages that were taken to the Gaza Strip. Photograph: Amir Levy/Getty Images
An Israeli army Merkava battle tank deploys with others along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel. Photograph: Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images
An Israeli army Merkava battle tank deploys with others along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel. Photograph: Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images
The body of a Palestinian killed during Israeli air strikes on Gaza City. Israel has sealed off Gaza and launched sustained retaliatory air strikes. Photograph: Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images
The body of a Palestinian killed during Israeli air strikes on Gaza City. Israel has sealed off Gaza and launched sustained retaliatory air strikes. Photograph: Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images
Palestinians evacuate wounded people after an Israeli air strike in Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza. Photograph: Hatem Ali/AP
Palestinians evacuate wounded people after an Israeli air strike in Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza. Photograph: Hatem Ali/AP
Palestinians look for survivors in the rubble of a destroyed building in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. The building was hit during an Israeli air strike. Photograph: Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images
Palestinians look for survivors in the rubble of a destroyed building in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. The building was hit during an Israeli air strike. Photograph: Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images
An injured woman outside Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photograph: Samar Abu Elouf/The New York Times
An injured woman outside Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photograph: Samar Abu Elouf/The New York Times
The mother (left), sister (right) and immediate family of Eli Valentin Ghnassia, 23, who was killed in a battle with Hamas militants at Kibbutz Be’eeri near the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, during his funeral ceremony at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem. Photograph: Alexi J Rosenfeld/Getty Images
The mother (left), sister (right) and immediate family of Eli Valentin Ghnassia, 23, who was killed in a battle with Hamas militants at Kibbutz Be’eeri near the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, during his funeral ceremony at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem. Photograph: Alexi J Rosenfeld/Getty Images
The father of French-Israeli soldier Eli Valentin Ghenassia, who was killed in combat at Kibbutz Beeri during an infiltration by Hamas militans, mourns during his funeral in the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem. Photograph: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images
The father of French-Israeli soldier Eli Valentin Ghenassia, who was killed in combat at Kibbutz Beeri during an infiltration by Hamas militans, mourns during his funeral in the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem. Photograph: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images
Members of the Israeli security forces continue to search for identification and personal effects at the Supernova Music Festival site, where hundreds were killed and dozens taken hostage by Hamas militants near the border with Gaza. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images
Members of the Israeli security forces continue to search for identification and personal effects at the Supernova Music Festival site, where hundreds were killed and dozens taken hostage by Hamas militants near the border with Gaza. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images
Israeli soldiers detain a man while on patrol near Kibbutz Beeri, the place where hundreds of revellers were killed by Hamas militants during the Supernova music festival. Photograph: Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images
Israeli soldiers detain a man while on patrol near Kibbutz Beeri, the place where hundreds of revellers were killed by Hamas militants during the Supernova music festival. Photograph: Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images
Personal belongings left behind by Israelis in the aftermath of an attack on the Supernova music festival where hundreds were killed by Hamas militants. Photograph: Martin Divisek/EPA-EFE
Personal belongings left behind by Israelis in the aftermath of an attack on the Supernova music festival where hundreds were killed by Hamas militants. Photograph: Martin Divisek/EPA-EFE
Jennifer Damti, mother of 22-year-old Israeli-Irish woman Kim Damti, mourns during her funeral at a cemetery in Gedera, Israel. Kim Damti was one of the hundreds killed by Hamas militants when they infiltrated a music festival near the border with Gaza. Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA-EFE
Jennifer Damti, mother of 22-year-old Israeli-Irish woman Kim Damti, mourns during her funeral at a cemetery in Gedera, Israel. Kim Damti was one of the hundreds killed by Hamas militants when they infiltrated a music festival near the border with Gaza. Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA-EFE
Eight-year-old Irish girl Emily Hand was murdered by Hamas militants who stormed the kibbutz where she was staying with her father. Photograph: CNN
Eight-year-old Irish girl Emily Hand was murdered by Hamas militants who stormed the kibbutz where she was staying with her father. Photograph: CNN
An Israeli army self-propelled howitzer fires rounds near the border with Gaza, in southern Israel. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images
An Israeli army self-propelled howitzer fires rounds near the border with Gaza, in southern Israel. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images
An Israeli woman weeps over the covered corpse of her nephew who was shot dead in the southern city of Sderot. Photogaph: Baz Ratner/AFP via Getty Images
An Israeli woman weeps over the covered corpse of her nephew who was shot dead in the southern city of Sderot. Photogaph: Baz Ratner/AFP via Getty Images
People gather around a bomb crater left by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis in Gaza. Photograph: Yousef Masoud/The New York Times
People gather around a bomb crater left by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis in Gaza. Photograph: Yousef Masoud/The New York Times
Palestinians drive amid the rubble of buildings destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Rafah on the southern Gaza Strip. Photograph: Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images)
Palestinians drive amid the rubble of buildings destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Rafah on the southern Gaza Strip. Photograph: Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images)
People gather at Tahrir Square for a demonstration against Israel in Baghdad on Friday, October 13th. Photograph: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images)
People gather at Tahrir Square for a demonstration against Israel in Baghdad on Friday, October 13th. Photograph: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images)
Fire and smoke rise above buildings in Gaza City during an Israeli air strike. Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images
Fire and smoke rise above buildings in Gaza City during an Israeli air strike. Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images
IsraelHamasIsrael-Hamas conflictGaza Strip