On This Day: October 7th

Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups launch an attack into Israel, which results in the deaths of around 1,200, mostly civilians, and the taking of 251 hostages, including civilians and soldiers. The attack initiated the Gaza war and the larger Middle Eastern crisis.

Ten people are killed and eight are injured in an explosion at petrol station in Creeslough, Ireland.

Ales Bialiatski, along with two organisations, Memorial & Center for Civil Liberties, are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, the death toll rises to over 800.

Asteroid 2008 TC3 impacts the Earth over Sudan, the first time an asteroid impact is detected prior to its entry into Earth's atmosphere.

Qantas Flight 72 experiences an in-flight upset near Learmonth, Victoria, Australia, injuring 112.

Three bombs explode at Taba and Nuweiba in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, killing 34.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-112 to continue assembly of the International Space Station.

The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan begins with an air assault and covert operations on the ground, starting the longest war in American history.

Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Hezbollah militants capture three Israeli Defense Force soldiers in a cross-border raid.