PurposeThis study aims to examine market reactions to the Israel–Hamas conflict in neighboring countries, particularly focusing on the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts an event study methodology, employing average abnormal return (AAR) and cumulative abnormal return as measures to assess market reactions. The sample for this study comprises 1,314 companies, with October 9, 2023, identified as the event day for analysis.FindingsThe results of our study indicate that countries in close proximity to Israel and Palestine encountered detrimental effects on their capital markets, as evidenced by negative responses observed across various sectors. Our analysis also reveals that countries in the midst of conflict, particularly Israel, experienced a decrease in their stock markets across various sectors, with the exception of materials and real estate. In addition, our investigation reveals disparities in market responses according to different categories of company size.Originality/valueThis research is the first to study market reactions to Israel–Hamas in the MENA region at the company level.