Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatens to attack Gaza if Hamas challenges Israel before October 27 elections

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to attack Gaza with "overwhelming force" if Hamas challenges Israel before the October 27 elections. He said that because Hamas is weak, it might try to influence the elections. Netanyahu also said that of the 6,000 Hamas militants who participated in the 2023 attack, about 2,000 are still alive. He reiterated his goal of "total victory" over Hamas. The threat comes as polls show the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot would win 54 seats in parliament, while Netanyahu's bloc would win 49, but neither would have a majority. Violence has continued in Gaza despite a ceasefire declared in October 2025.