Netanyahu Warns Hamas May Seek Revenge Attack Before Israeli Elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday, October 6, that Hamas may attempt an attack on Israel before the upcoming Knesset elections to influence their outcome. He explained that despite Hamas being weakened, its remaining forces could try to strike before the vote. "Because Hamas is so weak, it will try to challenge us with the remnants of its forces before the elections, in order to try to influence them," the prime minister said. Netanyahu assured that Israel is prepared for such a scenario and intends to thwart any attack attempts, promising a "crushing response" if an attack occurs.

The prime minister's warning comes amid heightened security concerns. At a recent meeting of the political-military cabinet, Head of IDF Military Intelligence Shlomi Binder reported that approximately 4,000 out of 6,000 terrorists who crossed into Israel on October 7, 2023, have been eliminated. However, Israeli intelligence estimates that the size of Hamas's military wing remains largely unchanged.

Head of Shin Bet David Zini cautioned ministers that Hamas is planning a new attack or abduction attempt around the time of the elections. Security officials also fear a multi-front scenario, with intelligence suggesting Hamas is using the current lull to regroup and stockpile weapons, anticipating that Israel's capacity for large-scale operations in Gaza will be limited before elections in both Israel and the United States.

Similar assessments have been reported by "Walla," which cited senior security officials believing Hamas and Hezbollah might attempt to disrupt the Israeli election campaign through terror attacks, including kidnappings. These officials estimate the likelihood of such scenarios increases as election day approaches.

In response, Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered an increase in IDF readiness in the Gaza Strip. Intelligence indicates Hamas intends to attack Israeli soldiers on October 7, the third anniversary of the initial attack. Katz has instructed the army to prepare for the worst-case scenario and to deliver powerful retaliatory strikes based on any specific threat information.

Israeli authorities have also enhanced security measures for the anniversary of "Black Saturday." Previously, Katz ordered the closure of Gaza crossings and a general lockdown in Judea and Samaria for October 5 and 7. These current warnings are more specific than a September 29 statement by Netanyahu, who then spoke of "signs" of enemy attack preparations before the elections without naming a specific organization or threat, as security forces lacked concrete information at that time. The Knesset elections are scheduled for October 27, placing Israel's security apparatus in a pre-election period marked by two potentially dangerous dates: the anniversary of the October 7 attack and the approaching election day.