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It was just after 6.30am when the first shots were fired.

A wave of Hamas fighters arrived at kibbutz Kfar Aza on foot and in the air, breaking through the Gaza border fence and flying over on hang gliders. Residents hid in their shelters, unsure of what was happening outside.

The kibbutz, only 1.8 miles (3 km) from the Gaza border, was one of the first reached by Hamas on that October Saturday morning.

Kfar Aza Israel kibbutz gaza
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Burned-out cars in Kfar Aza

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‘Everything is destroyed’

“It seemed like the end of the world,” recalls Aviva Siegel, a resident of the kibbutz. “My house was shaking, from all the rockets that were coming out of Gaza.”

Around 9am, a second Hamas wave arrived, some on foot, others flying over the border with paragliders.

It was 12 hours before the Israeli military arrived. It took them days to retake Kfar Aza.

Kfar Aza Israel kibbutz gaza
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Kibbutz Kfar Aza

Finally, on Tuesday morning, after three and a half days of fighting, the longest battle was over.

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At least one of the dead had been decapitated. The charred bodies of others were discovered in the ash of homes. The United Nations found evidence of sexual violence there.

Eighteen of the residents had also been taken hostage by Hamas. Some dead, some alive, they were forced into Gaza. Aviva Siegel and her husband Keith were two of them.

Aviva Siegel, a resident of the kibbutz Kfar Aza said it seemed 'like the end of the world'
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Aviva Siegel and her husband were taken hostage by Hamas. She was released last November, but he wasn’t

Ms Siegel said: “They pushed us and Keith fell, and they broke his ribs. They shot us and one of the bullets hit Keith’s hand.

“I remember going through the big, huge fence. It was just open, and we just drove into Gaza.”

By then, thousands of Hamas had been joined by other militant fighters from Gaza. All along Israel’s border, they rampaged through kibbutzim. The Israeli military fought running battles; more than 60 soldiers were killed that day.

Kfar Aza today is a ghost village. A few people have returned – if their houses are still standing.

Shar Shnurman and his wife hope kibbutz life will come back soon
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Shar Shnurman and his wife hope kibbutz life will return soon

Shar Shnurman and his wife now cook for the Israeli soldiers stationed on the border and hope kibbutz life will come back soon.

Standing by his BBQ, destroyed houses on every side of the street, he cuts a lonely figure.

“I didn’t see any other option but to live in my house, my land. It is what I owe to this country, what I owe to my father. This is the education I got: never to leave the house, never to leave my land. So, we came back.”

One year on, many of the residents of Kfar Aza are still temporarily living in a kibbutz north of Tel Aviv. They are still haunted by 7 October. Some are angry that they were abandoned.

“I’m disappointed with the army,” another former resident, Shani, tells us.

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‘On 7 October life dramatically changed’

“You know, my enemy is my enemy. I didn’t think if they would come in, they would come to what? To shut down the electricity? No, they come to kill us. We knew it. But we thought we had a country and an army that was supposed to defend us.”

Massive weekly protests have been held across Israel, demanding a ceasefire and hostage deal. Hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets in the hope that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would listen and act. For whatever reason, whoever is really to blame, it hasn’t happened.

The 7 October attack brought a divided Israel back together. Bitter splits over judicial reforms being pushed by Mr Netanyahu’s right-wing government were forgotten as the IDF set about destroying Hamas.

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Attack on Israel ‘will be done again if necessary’

According to one poll, by the Israeli Democracy Institute, 80% of Israelis support the military’s invasion of Lebanon to return 60,000 Israelis to their homes on the northern border.

But few thought the war would last this long. Mr Netanyahu has skillfully and, his critics would say, cynically clung to power even though he has refused to accept any responsibility for the 7 October attacks despite being prime minister at the time.

His popularity is higher now, following the widespread assassinations of Hezbollah leaders, than it has been for many months. Few would bet against him remaining in office until elections scheduled for 2026; many believe he will win those too.

"I’m disappointed from the army," another former resident, Shani, tells us. Kfar Aza Israel kibbutz gaza
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Shani, who used to live on the kibbutz, says she is ‘disappointed’ with the Israeli army

Mr Netanyahu has failed to propose a “day-after” plan for Gaza, and Hamas is starting to re-emerge in the north of the Strip, much to the annoyance of senior IDF commanders.

The Israeli government has described the invasion of Lebanon as “limited and targeted” but has put forward no strategy for exiting. The invasion, still only days old, is already showing signs of becoming another drawn-out grinding conflict.

Of the roughly 250 people taken hostage on 7 October, 97 are still being held in Gaza. Until they are released or rescued, dead or alive, Mr Netanyahu won’t be able to claim any victory.

Read more:
Israel-Hamas war: Timeline of events since 7 October
Yazidi woman kidnapped by IS freed
Netanyahu: Israel’s longest-serving leader

Kibbutz where 7 October Hamas attack happened one year ago
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Kfar Aza kibbutz

Many hostage families believe Mr Netanyahu has deliberately avoided doing a deal with Hamas and label him a murderer as a result. Ms Siegel was released last November, but her husband, Keith, wasn’t. One morning, she said a rushed goodbye to her husband and hasn’t seen or heard from him since.

“I bent down to him and said I’m going to Israel and that he must be strong for me, and I will be strong for him. And that’s how we separated, he didn’t say a word.”

No matter how many times Aviva has retold her story, her lip trembles and her eyes water.

Gaza
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Destruction in Gaza

“He was in shock, I was in shock. I’ve got no idea what Keith thought and how he managed that moment. He said nothing.”

The 7 October attack changed everything. For millions, it was the day normal life paused. A year on, the war in Gaza continues and conflict has spread across the region.

More than 41,000 have been killed in Gaza, but Hamas remains undefeated. Israel has invaded Lebanon, but Hezbollah is fighting back.

During the October 7 attacks and the ensuing war more than 1,200 Israelis have been killed and 97 hostages out of around 250 taken to Gaza remain there.

More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and over 96,000 have been injured according to its health ministry. The IDF estimated in August that more than 17,000 of those killed were Hamas fighters.

More than 700 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and over 6,000 have been injured.

The Lebanese Health Ministry says nearly 2000 of its citizens have been killed, mostly since Israel stepped up attacks. The IDF says 250 Hezbollah fighters have been killed.

Up to 20 September, 28 Israelis had been killed by Hezbollah rocket attacks.

With some inevitability, Iran and the United States are being dragged into a war that is now tumbling out of their control.

Mr Netanyahu promised Israelis “total victory” over their enemies – it’s unclear when or how that will come.

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Before and after images of Jamaica show destruction left by Hurricane Melissa

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Before and after images of Jamaica show destruction left by Hurricane Melissa

The scale of the destruction left by Hurricane Melissa as it tore across Jamaica is now being revealed by the first photos taken by satellites.

The eye of the storm made landfall on the southwest coast of the island, 75 miles from the capital Kingston, on Tuesday.

Before and after images from Vantor’s satellites show the impact of the 185mph winds on the town of Black River, the capital of St Elizabeth Parish.

Use the sliders below to see the same areas of Jamaica before and after the hurricane struck.

There is widespread damage. Some houses and businesses are without roofs, and others have been destroyed altogether.

The covered food market is in ruins. So is St John Anglican church, one of the oldest in Jamaica – only its bell tower still stands.

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Hurricane Melissa approaches Bahamas

Houses that lined the shore would have born the brunt of the storm surge.

Further along the coast is the fishing village of White House.

Streets have been reduced to piles of rubble. Trees have been stripped of their leaves by the wind.

The west of Jamaica is the country’s bread basket, important for growing food.

But fields are underwater, flooded by up to a metre of rain that fell as the vast storm system passed over.

A woman walks after Hurricane Melissa made landfall, in Santa Cruz, Jamaica. Pic: Reuters
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A woman walks after Hurricane Melissa made landfall, in Santa Cruz, Jamaica. Pic: Reuters

Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

Many crops will have been destroyed and the government has appealed for vegetable seeds so farmers can quickly plant crops again.

Read more:
What we know about Hurricane Melissa
UK charters flights to transport Britons out of Jamaica

On the northwest coast is the resort of Montego Bay.

The container terminal and oil storage tanks in the port have been inundated by the storm surge and are surrounded by water.

It’s estimated that 400,000 people in Jamaica have been affected by the hurricane.

And the cost of the devastation is immense.

Streets covered with mud, after Hurricane Melissa in Montego Bay. Pic: Reuters
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Streets covered with mud, after Hurricane Melissa in Montego Bay. Pic: Reuters

Estimates by hazard analysts Enki Research put the bill at £5.8bn. That’s more than a third of Jamaica’s GDP – a measure of its economic wealth.

It will take months and international support to put Jamaica back on its feet.

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Donald Trump says tariffs will be cut after ‘amazing’ meeting with Xi Jinping

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Donald Trump says tariffs will be cut after 'amazing' meeting with Xi Jinping

Donald Trump has described crucial trade talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping as “amazing” – and says he will visit Beijing in April.

The leaders of the world’s two biggest economies met in South Korea as they tried to defuse growing tensions – with both countries imposing aggressive tariffs on exports since the president’s second term began.

Catch up on Trump-Xi meeting

Aboard Air Force One, Mr Trump confirmed tariffs on Chinese goods exported to the US will be reduced, which could prove much-needed relief to consumers.

It was also agreed that Beijing will work “hard” to stop fentanyl flowing into the US.

Semiconductor chips were another issue raised during their 100-minute meeting, but the president admitted certain issues weren’t discussed.

“On a scale of one to 10, the meeting with Xi was 12,” he told reporters en route back to the US.

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‘Their handshake was almost a bit awkward’

Xi a ‘tough negotiator’, says Trump

The talks conclude a whirlwind visit across Asia – with Mr Trump saying he was “too busy” to see Kim Jong Un.

However, the president said he would be willing to fly back to see the North Korean leader, with a view to discussing denuclearisation.

Mr Trump had predicted negotiations with his Chinese counterpart would last for three or four hours – but their meeting ended in less than two.

The pair shook hands before the summit, with the US president quipping: “He’s a tough negotiator – and that’s not good!”

It marks the first face-to-face meeting between both men since 2019 – back in Mr Trump’s first term.

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Pic: AP
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Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Pic: AP

There were signs that Beijing had extended an olive branch to Washington ahead of the talks, with confirmation China will start buying US soybeans again.

American farmers have been feeling the pinch since China stopped making purchases earlier this year – not least because the country was their biggest overseas market.

Chinese stocks reached a 10-year high early on Thursday as investors digested their meeting, with the yuan rallying to a one-year high against the US dollar.

Analysis: A fascinating power play

Sky News Asia correspondent Helen-Ann Smith – who is in Busan where the talks took place – said it was fascinating to see the power play between both world leaders.

She said: “Trump moved quickly to dominate the space – leaning in, doing all the talking, even responding very briefly to a few thrown questions.

“That didn’t draw so much as an eyebrow raise from his counterpart, who was totally inscrutable. Xi does not like or respond well to unscripted moments, Trump lives for them.”

Read more from Sky News:
US cuts interest rates as inflation fears ease
Is Trump preparing for war with Venezuela?

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Will Trump really run for a third term?

On Truth Social, Mr Trump had described the summit as a gathering of the “G2” – a nod to America and China’s status as the world’s two biggest economies.

While en route to see President Xi, he also revealed that the US “Department of War” has now been ordered to start testing nuclear weapons for the first time since 1992.

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Tens of thousands killed in two days in Sudan city, analysts believe

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Tens of thousands killed in two days in Sudan city, analysts believe

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the Sudanese city of Al Fashir by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in a two-day window after the paramilitary group captured the regional capital, analysts believe.

Sky News is not able to independently verify the claim by Yale Humanitarian Labs, as the city remains under a telecommunications blackout.

Stains and shapes resembling blood and corpses can be seen from space in satellite images analysed by the research lab.

Al Fashir University. Pic: Airbus DS/2025
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Al Fashir University. Pic: Airbus DS/2025

Al Fashir University. Pic: Airbus DS/2025
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Al Fashir University. Pic: Airbus DS/2025

Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of Yale Humanitarian Labs, said: “In the past 48 hours since we’ve had [satellite] imagery over Al Fashir, we see a proliferation of objects that weren’t there before RSF took control of Al Fashir – they are approximately 1.3m to 2m long which is critical because in satellite imagery at very high resolution, that’s the average length of a human body lying vertical.”

Mini Minawi, the governor of North Darfur, said on X that 460 civilians have been killed in the last functioning hospital in the city.

The Sudan Doctors Network has also shared that the RSF “cold-bloodedly killed everyone they found inside Al Saudi Hospital, including patients, their companions, and anyone else present in the wards”.

World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was “appalled and deeply shocked” by the reports.

Satellite images support the claims of a massacre at Al Saudi Hospital, according to Mr Raymond, who said YHL’s report detailed “a large pile of them [objects believed to be bodies] against a wall at one building at Saudi hospital. And we believe that’s consistent with reports that patients and staff were executed en masse”.

In a video message released on Wednesday, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo acknowledged “violations in Al Fashir” and claimed “an investigation committee should start to hold any soldier or officer accountable”.

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Army soldiers ‘fled key Sudan city’ before capture

The Saudi Maternity Hospital in Al Fashir. Pic: Airbus DS /2025 via AP
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The Saudi Maternity Hospital in Al Fashir. Pic: Airbus DS /2025 via AP

The commander is known for committing atrocities in Darfur in the early 2000s as a Janjaweed militia leader, and the RSF has been accused of carrying out genocide in Darfur 20 years on.

Sources have told Sky News the RSF is holding doctors, journalists and politicians captive, demanding ransoms from some families to release their loved ones.

One video shows a man from Al Fashir with an armed man kneeling on the ground, telling his family to pay 15,000. The currency was not made clear.

In some cases, ransoms have been paid, but then more messages come demanding that more money be transferred to secure release.

Muammer Ibrahim, a journalist based in the city, is currently being held by the RSF, who initially shared videos of him crouched on the ground, surrounded by fighters, announcing his hometown had been captured under duress.

Read more:
Key Sudan city falls – what does this mean for the war?
‘Massacre’ kills more than 50, including children

200,000 trapped after army flees

He is being held incommunicado as his family scrambles to negotiate his release. Muammer courageously covered the siege of Al Fashir for months, enduring starvation and shelling.

The Committee to Protect Journalists regional director Sara Qudah said the abduction of Muammar Ibrahim “is a grave and alarming reminder that journalists in Al Fashir are being targeted simply for telling the truth”.

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