Hamas Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar warned Israel against a ground operation in response to the recent escalation in the south, saying, "We have a very large military force in the Gaza Strip and hundreds of miles of tunnels. If the enemy thinks of entering Gaza, our men will come out to [meet] it from underground."
Sinwar added, "If we come to the conclusion that the situation in Gaza will worsen, we will bomb Tel Aviv and cause Color Red [missile] alarms for six months." Responding to Blue and White Party Chairman Benny Gantz's calls for targeted assassinations of terror leaders, Sinwar said, "Gantz, we're waiting for you. if you even succeed in forming a government, we will make you regret the day you were born."