Netanyahu: Hamas will try to influence election with terror attacks, Israel is prepared

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Hamas may try to influence Israel’s October 27 election with attacks, saying Israel would thwart such efforts and respond with “tremendous force.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas on Tuesday against attempting attacks ahead of Israel’s October 27 Knesset election, saying Israel would thwart such efforts and respond with “tremendous force” if the terrorist organization tried to influence the vote.

“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,” Netanyahu said at the opening of the cabinet meeting.

“We are prepared for this. First and foremost, we will thwart such attempts, and in any event, we will respond with tremendous force if they make that mistake,” he added.

His warning came a day after IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly told the security cabinet that Israel was entering a particularly sensitive period because of both the elections and the October 7 anniversary. Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Director David Zini also warned ministers that Hamas could seek to kidnap soldiers near election time.

Netanyahu opened his remarks by commemorating those killed in the October 7 massacre and the war that followed.

“On the eve of October 7, we remember with sorrow and pain our heroes who fell in the Israel-Hamas War, and our brothers and sisters who fell in the horrific massacre in the Gaza border communities,” he said.

“Women, men, children, babies who were murdered and burned by the Hamas monsters. In the past three years, we have eliminated 4,000 of those 6,000 monsters. None of them has immunity. We will reach them all, and Hamas rule in Gaza will be eradicated,” Netanyahu continued.

Netanyahu: Two major developments have occurred since Oct. 7 massacre

The prime minister said that two major developments had taken place over the three years since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, terror attack.

“First, we turned the tables. The State of Israel is the strongest country in the Middle East, and our enemies are weaker than ever,” he said.

“Second, over these three years, the Tekuma region has come back to life. Ninety percent of the residents have returned to their homes, and many others have joined them. There is tremendous momentum in construction and rehabilitation across the Gaza border communities, cities, kibbutzim, and moshavim. Young couples are coming there to begin new lives. This is the victory of the spirit over evil, the victory of Israel over its enemies.”

The government’s Tekuma Administration said in July that more than 1,000 rehabilitation projects had been carried out in the Gaza border region, with the remaining displaced communities progressing toward their returns as part of the continued reconstruction of communities devastated on October 7.

“The exact same thing is happening in the North,” Netanyahu added. “I say to all our enemies: Look at what we did to you on seven fronts in the war. Don’t mess with us.”