During Hamas' attack, news editor with the Israeli Broadcasting Corportation (KAN) Ayelet Arnin, 22, was killed at the Supernova music festival in southern Isael, the Times of Israel confirmed on 16 October. Arnin attended the event to cover it, according to her employer, KAN.   

In the early hours of 7 October, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack in southern Israel. In response, Israel retaliated with airstrikes over the besieged Gaza Strip and formally declared war at Hamas.