The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Sunday that it has strengthened its presence along the Gaza border in anticipation of potential long-range rocket attacks or other forms of aggression from the Strip.
This move comes on the eve of the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre, a terror attack led by Hamas that resulted in the death of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 251 hostages to Gaza.
According to military sources, despite Hamas being largely dismantled as a military organization, its operatives retain the capacity to launch rocket attacks. The IDF is bracing for potential attacks from Gaza on the anniversary of the massacre, which could potentially include rocket fire aimed at central Israel. In response, the IDF has fortified defenses along the Gaza border and in the Netzarim Corridor area in the Strip's center, where it maintains a presence. "The Southern Command is prepared in defense and attack for several scenarios during the coming month, along with allowing memorial events in the [Gaza border communities] to be carried out safely," the IDF stated.
As reported by the IDF, several companies have been deployed to protect Israeli border towns, and coordination with police and medical services has been established in case of attacks. "We are on heightened alert for the coming days. At a high level of readiness with offensive actions," Major General Yaron Finkelman, chief of the Southern Command, informed officers in a video distributed by the IDF.
On Saturday, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari cautioned in a televised briefing that Israeli civilians could be targeted. "We are prepared with increased forces in anticipation for this day," when there could be "attacks on the home front," he said.
An unofficial commemoration marking a year since the October 7 massacre is scheduled for Monday, with attendance limited to the victims' families due to IDF Home Front Command restrictions on large gatherings. The ceremony, organized by the families of those killed and kidnapped, will be held at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park.
The IDF Home Front Command currently limits gatherings to a maximum of 2,000 people in Tel Aviv due to the ongoing threat of rocket attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas. The commemoration will be broadcast on Israeli television stations and numerous foreign networks, with screenings hosted in cities across Israel and around the world.
The October 7 massacre and the subsequent war have resulted in the death of over 1,600 Israelis. It is estimated that 97 of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the IDF. Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.
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