Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has placed the military on high alert ahead of the anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, warning that Hamas and Gaza’s population would face severe consequences if Israeli forces were attacked.

Katz’s office said the directive followed intelligence indicating that Hamas could attempt attacks or other militant operations against Israeli forces in Gaza on the anniversary.

“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 statement said.

The October 7, 2023 attack, carried out by Hamas-led militants, was the deadliest attack in Israel’s history, with 1,221 people killed, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

The militants also abducted 251 hostages and took them into Gaza, with 44 of the hostages reported to have died.

Israel subsequently launched a military offensive in Gaza, which has caused widespread destruction and killed more than 74,200 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

The ministry said Israeli forces had also killed more than 1,440 people in Gaza since a ceasefire was declared last October.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a state ceremony on Monday marking three years since the October 7 attack that there would be “no Hamas rule in Gaza.”

Netanyahu also vowed to continue targeting individuals involved in the attack or those who had held hostages.