“If, God forbid, our forces are harmed, those who will pay the heavy price will be Hamas and the population of Gaza, beyond all proportion,” Katz warned.
By United with Israel Staff
Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered the IDF to heighten its alert level in Gaza ahead of the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre, citing intelligence that Hamas may attempt to carry out attacks against Israeli troops on Wednesday.
Katz instructed the military to prepare for all possible scenarios after receiving information indicating that Hamas intends to try to stage attacks and terrorist operations against IDF forces in Gaza on the anniversary, according to a statement from his office.
The defense minister ordered the IDF to take a stringent approach to any intelligence or warnings and act forcefully to thwart potential threats, in addition to its ongoing operations in the Gaza Strip.
Katz also issued a stark warning to Hamas over the consequences of any successful attack on Israeli troops.
“If, God forbid, our forces are harmed, those who will pay the heavy price will be Hamas and the population of Gaza, beyond all proportion,” Katz said, according to his office.
The statement said the warning echoed remarks made by Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a recent visit to the Kissufim military post on the Gaza border.
The heightened alert comes as Israel prepares to mark three years since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.
Katz said Monday that 4,000 of the approximately 6,000 terrorists who invaded Israel during the attack have since been killed, leaving around 2,000 still alive.
“Six thousand terrorists crossed the border into Israel on October 7 and carried out the atrocities. Of them, 4,000 have been killed so far, leaving another 2,000,” Katz said.
He said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed the IDF and other security agencies to pursue and eliminate all of the remaining perpetrators, “from the most senior to the most junior.”
The figures were presented by Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder during a security cabinet meeting Sunday night.
Netanyahu issued a similar warning at Monday’s state memorial ceremony at Mount Herzl.
“There will be no Hamas rule in Gaza,” Netanyahu said. “Anyone who was involved in the attack against us and held our hostages is living on borrowed time. Day after day, we are settling accounts with these vile murderers.”
Additional memorial events will be held on Oct. 7 itself, including a nationwide minute of silence at 6:29 a.m., the time the Hamas-led assault began three years ago.