Israel's Defence Minister has placed the military on high alert ahead of Wednesday's third anniversary of Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, warning that Gazans would pay a "heavy price" if Israeli forces were harmed. The announcement on Tuesday came after Israeli intelligence pointed to Hamas planning attacks on troops in Gaza on the anniversary date, sharpening an already volatile moment in the war despite a ceasefire that is now a year old.
The warning was issued by Defence Minister Israel Katz's office, which said the instruction followed "intelligence regarding Hamas's intentions to attempt to carry out attacks and terror operations against our forces in Gaza on that day", according to France 24.
Table of contents
- What Katz said
- The intelligence behind the alert
- Netanyahu's message at the national memorial
- Three years on: a war still burning
- Key takeaways
- Sources
- Read more on Chronicle
What Katz said
"If, heaven forbid, our forces are harmed, the ones who will pay the heavy price will be Hamas and the population of Gaza — beyond all proportion," Katz's office said in a statement on Tuesday. The phrasing was striking: it explicitly held not just the militant group but Gaza's civilian population responsible for any attack on Israeli troops.
Katz instructed the Israel Defense Forces to heighten alert and prepare for "any possible scenario" in Gaza ahead of the anniversary, which falls on Wednesday, and to act with force to thwart any threat. The directive was echoed during a visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz to Kissufim on the Gaza border, alongside the head of the IDF Southern Command.
The warning drew sharp criticism at home: opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot condemned the threat against Gaza's civilians, arguing collective punishment undermines both morality and strategy.
The intelligence behind the alert
Israel's security establishment has signalled for days that Hamas may try to mark the anniversary with violence. On Monday, Shin Bet director David Zini told the Security Cabinet that Hamas was planning to kidnap soldiers, the Jerusalem Post reported — a scenario that would echo one of the central traumas of October 7, 2023.
Military Intelligence Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder told ministers that of the roughly 6,000 militants who crossed into Israel on that day, about 4,000 have been killed and 2,000 remain at large. The intelligence assessment presented to ministers also described increased Hamas preparations for renewed fighting, including recruitment, weapons stockpiling and moving arms into civilian areas.
The IDF has simultaneously launched readiness exercises on several fronts, including surprise drills simulating October 7-style attacks from Gaza and the West Bank — a sign that the anniversary is being treated as a potential multi-front flashpoint.
Netanyahu's message at the national memorial
A day before Katz's warning, Netanyahu addressed a state ceremony at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl military cemetery marking three years since the attack — the deadliest day in Israel's history, in which 1,221 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Forty-four of those hostages are now dead.
"There will be no Hamas rule in Gaza," Netanyahu declared, vowing to continue targeting anyone involved in the October 7 attack or the holding of hostages. He said Israel had achieved "enormous accomplishments" but still had missions to complete — signalling that military operations against Hamas will continue despite the ceasefire framework.
Meanwhile, the IDF said it had eliminated several Hamas operatives in strikes around Khan Younis, including Muad Gamal Abu Nuseira, described as a commander in Hamas's military wing — a reminder that targeted killings have not paused even during memorial week.
Three years on: a war still burning
The anniversary arrives with Gaza in ruins. The Gaza Health Ministry says Israel's offensive has killed more than 74,200 people, figures considered reliable by the United Nations. Even since the ceasefire was declared last October, Israeli forces have killed more than 1,440 people in Gaza, according to the ministry.
The war has also reshaped Israeli politics and society. National days of remembrance now coexist with continued fighting, a still-fragile truce, and unresolved questions about the remaining hostages. Each October 7 anniversary has become both a moment of national mourning and a potential trigger for escalation — a pattern Katz's warning now explicitly anticipates.
For Gaza's civilians, caught between Hamas's threats and Israel's threats of retaliation, the minister's words landed as a chilling reminder that the anniversary of the deadliest day in Israel's history could become another day of loss in Gaza.
Key takeaways
- Defence Minister Israel Katz placed the IDF on high alert ahead of Wednesday's third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attack, citing intelligence of planned Hamas attacks on troops in Gaza.
- Katz warned that "Hamas and the population of Gaza" would pay "a heavy price, beyond all proportion" if Israeli forces were harmed — a threat that drew criticism for targeting civilians.
- Shin Bet director David Zini told the Security Cabinet that Hamas may attempt to kidnap soldiers; military intelligence said 2,000 of the 6,000 October 7 attackers remain at large.
- Netanyahu vowed at the national memorial that there would be "no Hamas rule in Gaza" and that operations against those behind the attack would continue.
- The war has killed more than 74,200 people in Gaza per the Health Ministry, with over 1,440 killed since last October's ceasefire.
Sources
- France 24 — Israel warns Gazans will pay 'heavy price' for any October 7 attacks on military
- The Hindu — Israel puts military on alert for October 7 anniversary, warns Gazans
- The Jerusalem Post — Katz warns Hamas will pay heavy price if troops harmed on October 7
- Mathrubhumi — Netanyahu vows no Hamas rule in Gaza at October 7 memorial
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Israel put its military on alert?
Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the IDF to high alert ahead of Wednesday's third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attack, after intelligence indicated Hamas intended to attack Israeli forces in Gaza on that day.
What did Katz warn would happen?
Katz said that "if, heaven forbid, our forces are harmed, the ones who will pay the heavy price will be Hamas and the population of Gaza — beyond all proportion." The warning drew domestic criticism for explicitly threatening civilians.
Did Netanyahu make his own statement?
Yes. At Monday's state memorial ceremony at Mount Herzl, Netanyahu vowed there would be "no Hamas rule in Gaza" and promised to keep targeting anyone involved in the October 7 attack or the holding of hostages.
How many people were killed in the October 7 attack?
Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack killed 1,221 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures — the deadliest day in Israel's history. Militants also took 251 hostages into Gaza; 44 of them have since died.
What is the death toll in Gaza now?
Gaza's Health Ministry says Israel's offensive has killed more than 74,200 people, figures considered reliable by the UN. More than 1,440 people have been killed in Gaza since a ceasefire was declared last October, according to the ministry.
