Israel's defense minister threatened the Palestinian Authority, warning that any potential attack similar to the one carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023 would result in "total war" by Israel. The threat comes in a context of heightened tensions between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas.
The attack referred to by the minister occurred in October 2023, when Hamas launched an offensive against Israeli territory that resulted in hundreds of dead and kidnapped. This episode triggered the current war in the Gaza Strip.
The threat from the Israeli defense minister comes following other similar warnings issued by Israeli officials since the beginning of the conflict. Israel has been stating that it will reserve the right to respond extremely to any future attacks.
The Palestinian Authority, which partially administers the West Bank, has not been directly blamed for Hamas's attack, but the minister's statements suggest that Israel intends to pressure all Palestinian entities to control armed groups.
