- Defence Minister ordered IDF alert due to Hamas attack intelligence.
- Shin Bet warned of Hamas kidnapping Israeli soldiers near Gaza.
- Katz warned of retaliation; Eisenkot criticized government’s failures.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday instructed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to heighten their alert and prepare for any possible scenario in Gaza ahead of October 7, which falls on Wednesday.
The directive came in light of intelligence indicating that Hamas may attempt to launch attacks against Israeli troops in Gaza on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Katz Orders IDF To Prepare For ‘Worst’
The Defence Ministry said the heightened alert was ordered “in light of intelligence regarding Hamas’s intentions to launch attacks against our forces in the area on that day”.
Katz instructed the IDF to prepare for the worst and respond with force to intelligence or warnings in order to thwart any potential threat, in addition to the military operations already under way.
“If, God forbid, our troops are harmed, Hamas and the population of Gaza will be the ones to pay a heavy price, beyond all proportion,” Katz said.
Netanyahu Also Visits Gaza Border
A similar message was issued during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Kissufim on the Gaza border, where he was accompanied by Katz and the head of the IDF Southern Command.
The visit came amid heightened security concerns surrounding October 7 and intelligence assessments regarding possible Hamas attacks.
Shin Bet Chief Warns Of Possible Soldier Kidnapping
Shin Bet Director David Zini had warned the Security Cabinet on Monday that Hamas was planning to kidnap Israeli soldiers, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post.
The warning comes as Israeli security agencies remain on heightened alert ahead of the October 7 anniversary.
Eisenkot Calls Warning An ‘Indictment’ Of Government
Former IDF chief of staff and Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot criticised Katz’s announcement, linking it to what he described as the government’s failures since October 7.
“The defence minister’s announcement this morning is an indictment against the government of October 7,” Eisenkot said.
He added that the government responsible for the October 7 failure had also failed to achieve the goals it had set.
“Three years after October 7, Hamas is still the sovereign in the Gaza Strip, and its terrorists still pose a threat to the citizens of Israel,” Eisenkot said.
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