October 7 in history — What Happened Today in History
Curious what October 7 in history holds? From 2023 back through the centuries, our timeline gathers everything that happened on October 7 — events, birthdays and deaths on one cozy page.
On this page, October 7 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about October 7 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on October 7 in History 40
- 2023
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.
- 2022
Ten people are killed and eight are injured in an explosion at a petrol station in Creeslough, Ireland.
- 2022
Ales Bialiatski, along with two organisations, Memorial and Center for Civil Liberties, are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
- 2016
In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, the death toll rises to over 800.
- 2008
Asteroid 2008 TC3 impacts the Earth over Sudan, the first time an asteroid impact is detected prior to its entry into Earth's atmosphere.
- 2008
Qantas Flight 72 experiences an in-flight upset near Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia, injuring 112.
- 2007
The battle of Mirali begins in which the Pakistan Armed Forces and Taliban militias clash for four days.
- 2004
Three bombs explode at Taba and Nuweiba in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, killing 34.
- 2002
The Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-112 to continue assembly of the International Space Station.
- 2001
The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan begins with an air assault and covert operations on the ground, starting the longest war in American history.
- 2000
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Hezbollah militants capture three Israeli Defense Force soldiers in a cross-border raid.
- 1993
The flood of '93 ends at St. Louis, Missouri, 103 days after it began, as the Mississippi River falls below flood stage.
All entries for October 7（+28）
- 1991
Croatian War of Independence: Bombing of the Banski Dvori in Zagreb, Croatia.
- 1988
A hunter discovers three gray whales trapped under the ice near Alaska; the situation becomes a multinational effort to free the whales.
- 1987
Sikh nationalists declare the independence of Khalistan from India; it is not internationally recognized.
- 1985
The Mameyes landslide kills almost 200 people in Puerto Rico.
- 1985
Four men from the Palestine Liberation Front hijack the MS Achille Lauro off the coast of Egypt.
- 1979
Swissair Flight 316 crashes at Ellinikon International Airport in Athens, Greece, killing 14.
- 1978
Aeroflot Flight 1080 crashes after takeoff from Koltsovo International Airport, killing 38.
- 1977
The Fourth Soviet Constitution is adopted.
- 1963
President Kennedy signs the ratification of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
- 1963
Buddhist crisis: Amid worsening relations, outspoken South Vietnamese First Lady Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu arrives in the US for a speaking tour, continuing a flurry of attacks on the Kennedy administration.
- 1961
A Douglas Dakota IV operated by Derby Aviation (later renamed to British Midland International) crashes in Canigou, France, killing 34 people.
- 1959
The Soviet probe Luna 3 transmits the first-ever photographs of the far side of the Moon.
- 1958
The 1958 Pakistani coup d'état inaugurates a prolonged period of military rule.
- 1958
The U.S. crewed space-flight project is renamed to Project Mercury.
- 1950
Mother Teresa establishes the Missionaries of Charity.
- 1949
The communist German Democratic Republic (East Germany) is formed.
- 1944
World War II: The Sonderkommando Revolt in Auschwitz occurs with an uprising of prisoners (especially the Sonderkommando) at the Auschwitz concentration camp.
- 1940
World War II: The McCollum memo proposes bringing the United States into the war in Europe by provoking the Japanese to attack the United States.
- 1929
Photius II becomes Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
- 1924
Andreas Michalakopoulos becomes prime minister of Greece for a short period of time.
- 1919
KLM, the flag carrier of the Netherlands, is founded. It is the oldest airline still operating under its original name.
- 1916
Georgia Tech defeats Cumberland University 222–0 in the most lopsided college football game in American history.
- 1913
Ford Motor Company introduces the first moving vehicle assembly line.
- 1912
The Helsinki Stock Exchange sees its first transaction.
- 1879
Germany and Austria-Hungary sign the "Twofold Covenant" and create the Dual Alliance.
- 1870
Franco-Prussian War: Léon Gambetta escapes the siege of Paris in a hot-air balloon.
- 1868
Cornell University holds opening day ceremonies; initial student enrollment is 412, the highest at any American university to that date.
- 1864
American Civil War: A US Navy ship captures a Confederate raider in a Brazilian seaport.
Famous Birthdays on October 7 in History 25
- 2002
Joaquín Panichelli, Argentine footballer
- 2001
Princess Senate Seeiso, Princess of Lesotho
- 1999
Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Turkish footballer
- 1998
Ryan Trahan, American YouTuber
- 1997
Kira Kosarin, American actress and singer
- 1997
Nicole Maines, American actress, writer, and activist
- 1996
Lewis Capaldi, Scottish singer-songwriter
- 1996
Choi Jeong, South Korean Go player
- 1996
Guglielmo Vicario, Italian footballer
- 1995
Lyndon Dykes, Australian professional footballer
- 1995
Mathias Dyngeland, Norwegian footballer
- 1995
Bram van Vlerken, Dutch footballer
All entries for October 7（+13）
- 1993
Nic Stauskas, Canadian basketball player
- 1992
Mookie Betts, American baseball player
- 1991
Oscar Fantenberg, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1991
Mike Foltynewicz, American baseball player
- 1991
Nicole Jung, American singer
- 1991
Lay Zhang, Chinese singer-songwriter and actor
- 1990
Sebastián Coates, Uruguayan footballer
- 1988
Diego da Silva Costa, Brazilian footballer
- 1987
Jeremy Brockie, New Zealand footballer
- 1987
Alex Cobb, American baseball player
- 1987
Damion James, American basketball player
- 1986
Lee Nguyen, American soccer player
- 1986
Gunnar Nielsen, Faroese footballer
Notable Deaths on October 7 in History 25
- 2024
Cissy Houston, American singer (born 1933)
- 2024
Arie L. Kopelman, American businessman (born 1938)
- 2024
Zaw Myint Maung, Burmese politician, physician and former political prisoner (born 1951)
- 2024
Lore Segal, American novelist (born 1928)
- 2023
Israelis murdered or fell in the line of duty during the October 7 attacks
- 2023
Terence Davies, English filmmaker
- 2022
Arun Bali, Indian actor (born 1942)
- 2020
Mario Molina, Mexican chemist (born 1943)
- 2016
Ross Higgins, Australian actor, comedian (born 1930)
- 2015
Harry Gallatin, American basketball player and coach (born 1927)
- 2015
Hossein Hamadani, Iranian general (born 1951)
- 2015
Jurelang Zedkaia, Marshallese politician, 5th President of the Marshall Islands (born 1950)
All entries for October 7（+13）
- 2014
Nika Kiladze, Georgian footballer (born 1988)
- 2014
Siegfried Lenz, Polish-German author and playwright (born 1926)
- 2014
Iva Withers, Canadian-American actress and singer (born 1917)
- 2013
Terry Burnham, American actress (born 1949)
- 2013
Patrice Chéreau, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1944)
- 2013
Leandro Mendoza, Filipino police officer and politician, 36th Executive Secretary of the Philippines (born 1946)
- 2012
Mervyn M. Dymally, Trinidadian-American politician, 41st Lieutenant Governor of California (born 1926)
- 2012
Ivo Michiels, Belgian-French author and poet (born 1923)
- 2011
Ramiz Alia, Albanian politician, 1st President of Albania (born 1925)
- 2011
Andrew Laszlo, Hungarian-American cinematographer (born 1926)
- 2010
Milka Planinc, Croatian lawyer and politician, 7th Prime Minister of Yugoslavia (born 1924)
- 2009
Irving Penn, American photographer (born 1917)
- 2007
Norifumi Abe, Japanese motorcycle racer (born 1975)
That is the story of October 7 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on October 7 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on October 7 in history?
The biggest event on October 7 in history is: 2023 — 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.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on October 7?
25 famous people were born on October 7 in history, the best known being 2002 — Joaquín Panichelli, Argentine footballer.
Who died on October 7?
25 notable people died on October 7 in history, including 2024 — Cissy Houston, American singer (born 1933).
Why should I read about October 7 in history?
Exploring October 7 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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