section_path: War in Israel and Gaza/Initial invasion to first truce (October–November 2023)
section_name: Initial invasion to first truce (October–November 2023)
paragraph_text: Initial invasion to first truce (October–November 2023)
  
  On 27 October, after building up an invasion force of over 100,000 soldiers, the IDF launched a large-scale ground incursion into parts of northern Gaza. Israeli airstrikes targeted the area around al-Quds hospital, where around 14,000 civilians were believed to be sheltering. The following day, the IDF struck Jabalia refugee camp, killing 50 and wounding 150 Palestinians. Israel said the attack killed a senior Hamas commander, whose presence Hamas denied, and dozens of militants. The attack resulted in several ambassador recalls.
  
  On 31 October, Israel bombed a six-story apartment building in central Gaza, killing at least 106 civilians including 54 children in what Human Rights Watch called an "apparent war crime". On 1 November, the first group of evacuees left Gaza for Egypt. Five hundred evacuees, comprising critically wounded and foreign nationals, were evacuated over several days. On 18 November, Israel struck a marked Médecins Sans Frontières convoy, killing two aid workers. On 22 November, Israel and Hamas reached a temporary ceasefire agreement, providing for a four-day pause in hostilities to allow for the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza. The deal also provided for the release of approximately 150 Palestinian women and children incarcerated by Israel.