Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tuesday that Hamas could attempt an attack ahead of Israel’s election in an effort to influence the vote, saying Israel was prepared to thwart such a move and would respond “with tremendous force.”
Speaking at the opening of a government meeting marking three years since the October 7 massacre, Netanyahu began by remembering those killed in the Hamas attack and the war that followed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(Photo: DEBBIE HILL / POOL / AFP)
“On the eve of October 7, we remember with grief and pain our heroes who fell in the War of Revival and our brothers and sisters who fell in the terrible massacre in the Gaza border communities,” Netanyahu said. “Women, men, children, babies who were murdered and burned by the Hamas monsters.”
“Over the past three years, we have eliminated 4,000 of those 6,000 monsters,” he said, referring to those who crossed into Israel during the attack. “None of them has immunity. We will reach them all, and Hamas rule in Gaza will be eliminated.”
The figure mirrors an assessment presented to ministers at a Security Cabinet meeting this week, when Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder said roughly 4,000 of the approximately 6,000 Gazans who crossed the border on October 7 had been killed and about 2,000 remained. Binder told ministers that Israel would pursue those who remained.
Netanyahu, who was prime minister when the massacre occurred, has not accepted personal responsibility for the failures that preceded it. Yoav Gallant, who served as defense minister at the time, is no longer in office, as are the senior security officials who headed the defense establishment on October 7.
Netanyahu instead highlighted what he described as Israel’s achievements in the three years since the attack.
“We turned the tables,” he said. “The State of Israel is the strongest country in the Middle East, and our enemies are weaker than ever.”
He also pointed to the rebuilding of communities near Gaza, saying 90% of residents had returned home and that others had moved into the area.
“There is a tremendous wave of construction and rehabilitation in the Gaza border region, in the cities, kibbutzim and moshavim,” Netanyahu said. “Young couples are coming there to begin new lives. This is the victory of spirit over evil, the victory of Israel over its enemies. Exactly the same thing is happening in the north.”
Netanyahu then turned to the coming election, warning that Hamas could use its remaining capabilities to challenge Israel.
“Precisely because Hamas is so weak, it will try to challenge us with the remnants of its forces ahead of the elections in an attempt to influence them,” he said. “We are prepared for this. First of all, we will thwart such attempts, and in any case we will respond with tremendous force if they make that mistake.”
“I say to all our enemies: Look at what we did to you on seven fronts in the War of Revival. Don’t mess with us.”
The warning comes after Shin Bet chief David Zini told ministers that Hamas was preparing for the possibility of an attack or a localized kidnapping attempt close to the election or shortly afterward. Intelligence officials have also identified efforts by Hamas to recruit personnel and stockpile weapons as it prepares for possible renewed fighting, according to information presented to the Security Cabinet.
Netanyahu has used the term “War of Revival,” the name adopted by the government for the conflict, throughout his remarks and campaign messaging. The designation has not been embraced by all bereaved families and remains politically and socially contentious.