Hamas has warned Israel that it is prepared to carry out another attack similar to the October 7, 2023, assault wherever an opportunity arises, according to a Ynet report.
The reported threat extended to attacks inside Israel, in the West Bank and abroad. Hamas officials reportedly delivered the message last week during a meeting at the Gaza office of UN humanitarian coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov, asking him to convey it to Israeli authorities.
According to Ynet, Alakbarov passed the warning to Maj. Gen. Yoram Halevy, the coordinator of government activities in the territories, during a meeting on Wednesday. A document outlining the threats was then urgently circulated to senior political and security officials.
Israeli officials reportedly described the warning as unusually explicit and severe.
During their meeting with Alakbarov, Hamas officials reportedly complained about developments they said were weakening the group’s hold on Gaza.
These included continued Israeli military operations, changes to the “yellow line” marking IDF positions, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s cancellation of elections scheduled for November 28.
According to Ynet’s account, the Hamas representatives said they were no longer willing to accept the current situation.
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The warning comes as Israeli forces continue to target Hamas operatives in Gaza, including commanders and members of the group’s Nukhba unit.
Meanwhile, the Peace Council and international mediators are pressing Hamas to surrender its weapons. Israeli assessments cited by Ynet suggest the group is seeking to draw out negotiations without committing to disarmament.
Israel, for its part, has refused to allow a proposed technocratic governing committee or a Palestinian police force into Gaza, leaving arrangements for the territory’s administration and security unresolved.