Hamas orchestrated and led the [October 7th] attack, with 3,800 of its elite Nukhba forces and members of Izz al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades invading Southern Israel. They were supported by 2,200 individuals from other armed groups, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and civilians from Gaza. A further 1,000 individuals stayed in Gaza to operate rocket launchers and provide tactical support. The attackers used drones, snipers, and explosives to disable surveillance and defensive systems. By the end of the day, the border had been breached at 119 points, enabling the entry of thousands of militants into Israel. Hamas-led forces attacked 32 civilian communities - Kibbutzim and Moshavim - in Israel's Gaza Envelope killing 416 in a matter of hours. Of the 251 total hostages taken during the attack, 183 were from these villages. A total of 3,873 rockets were fired into Israel on 7 October, followed by another 987 on 8 and 9 October. This triggered alerts across 498 communities and affected 75% of Israel's population.
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