‘Heavy Price, Beyond All Proportion’: Katz Warns Hamas As Israel Raises October 7 Alert

Israel has put its military on high alert ahead of Wednesday’s anniversary of the Hamas-led attack, with Defence Minister Israel Katz ordering the Israel Defence Forces to prepare for possible assaults against its forces in Gaza. Katz warned that Hamas and Gaza’s population would pay a “heavy price, beyond all proportion” if Israeli soldiers were harmed.

According to AFP Katz said the decision was based on Israeli intelligence indicating that Hamas intended to carry out attacks against Israeli forces in Gaza on the anniversary. He instructed the military to prepare for worst-case scenarios and said forceful action should be taken in response to intelligence or warnings of an imminent threat, in addition to Israel’s ongoing military operations.

Gaza On Alert

The warning comes as Israeli forces continue operations in Gaza. The IDF’s latest battlefield updates have reported ongoing strikes and the deaths of Hamas operatives, with the military saying it is continuing to target infrastructure and personnel it identifies as threats to Israeli forces.

The anniversary carries particular security significance for Israel because the October 7, 2023 attack exposed major failures in its defences and triggered the war in Gaza. According to the Israeli government’s account, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups crossed into southern Israel by land, sea and air and launched a large-scale attack that killed more than 1,200 people and resulted in 251 people being taken hostage.

Security Measures

Israel has already introduced additional security measures around the anniversary. Katz ordered a general closure of crossings into the West Bank and Gaza during key days around the commemoration, following recommendations from the military, with limited exceptions for certain Palestinian medical workers and other cases approved by Israeli authorities.

The measures come as Israel holds official commemorations for those killed during the October 7 attack and the war that followed. The Israeli government has designated the anniversary as a national day of remembrance, with events being held during the week leading up to October 7.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz have also continued to issue statements focused on military operations against Hamas. In a joint statement on September 29, the two said the IDF had killed Izz al-Din Bik, whom Israel identified as commander of Hamas’ northern Gaza Strip brigade, and said he had been involved in plots against Israeli forces and efforts to recruit operatives.

Anniversary Threat

Katz’s latest warning specifically concerns the possibility of Hamas using the anniversary to attack Israeli troops inside Gaza. Militants launched a rocket towards the Israeli border community of Netiv Ha’asara on the second anniversary last year, although no subsequent Gaza rocket crossed into Israeli territory.

With the anniversary approaching, the IDF is therefore maintaining heightened readiness in Gaza while Israeli officials warn that any attack on its forces will draw a forceful military response.