Hamas Oct. 7 Attack — 1,200 Israelis Killed; US Deploys Two Carrier Strike Groups to Eastern Med

Hamas launched a devastating assault from Gaza on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 Israelis and taking 251 hostages — the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. The US immediately deployed two aircraft carrier strike groups to the Eastern Mediterranean as a show of force, pledging ironclad support for Israel. Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza killed over 35,000 Palestinians according to UN figures by mid-2024, triggering a humanitarian crisis, campus protests across the US, and deep divisions within the Democratic Party.