Israel has placed its military on heightened alert in Gaza following intelligence indicating that Hamas may attempt to carry out attacks against Israeli forces on Wednesday, October 7, the third anniversary of the group’s 2023 assault on Israel.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the military to increase its readiness and prepare for possible scenarios in Gaza. He said the directive was based on intelligence indicating that Hamas intends to attempt attacks and other operations against Israeli troops on the anniversary.
Katz ordered Israeli forces to respond to intelligence or warnings of potential threats and to take measures aimed at preventing attacks.
He also issued a strong warning, saying that if Israeli forces are harmed, “Hamas and the population of Gaza will pay a heavy price, beyond all proportion.”
The heightened alert comes as Israel prepares to mark three years since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, which triggered the prolonged war in Gaza.
Israeli authorities have also taken additional security measures around the anniversary, amid concerns about possible attacks and heightened tensions across the region.
The intelligence warning has not established that an attack will definitely occur, but Israeli authorities are treating the possibility as a significant security concern and have ordered troops to remain prepared for developments on the ground.
