Battle of Sderot
The battle of Sderot (Hebrew: קרב שדרות; Arabic: معركة سديروت) began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale surprise attack on southern Israel, which was widely condemned as an act of terrorism. The Israeli town of Sderot (Hebrew: שְׂדֵרוֹת, Arabic: سديروت), located close to the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, has frequently been the target of rocket attacks and incursions during the course of the Gaza–Israel conflict. Hamas militants massacred at least 50 civilians and 20 police officers.
| Battle of Sderot | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Israel–Hamas war | |||||||
Front lines | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Hamas | Israel | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Al-Qassam Brigades |
Israel Defense Forces Israel Police Israeli armed "volunteer security teams" | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 10+ killed |
20+ police officers killed 50+ civilians killed | ||||||
During the battle, a minibus of senior citizens was attacked by Hamas militants after a flat tire delayed them. All 15 passengers were killed. In another incident, the Swissa family and an Israeli Arab, Amer Abu Sabila, were killed by militants while trying to escape. Abu Sabila's bravery sparked discussions about Arab-Jewish coexistence in Israel. By October 8, Israeli forces had regained control over Sderot.