Israel has warned the Palestinian Authority (PA) that it could launch a "full-scale war" in the occupied West Bank if Palestinian security forces prepare an attack against Israeli troops or Jewish settlements similar to Hamas's October 7, 2023 assault. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued the warning on Monday. His statement came after a stabbing attack in the northern occupied West Bank. The Israeli military said its forces shot and killed the Palestinian man accused of carrying out the attack. The warning comes as violence continues to increase across the West Bank. Israel has occupied the territory since 1967. Tensions have risen sharply since Hamas launched its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the subsequent Gaza war began.

Israel Katz Warns Palestinian Authority Over October 7 Attack

Katz said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to prepare for a major military operation if the Palestinian Authority's security bodies were found to be planning an October 7-style attack. "If... the Palestinian Authority's security mechanisms and related bodies initiate, or we know with certainty that they are about to initiate, a terror attack in the style of October 7 against IDF forces and Jewish settlements -- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF to prepare for the opening of a full-scale war," Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement from his office, referring to the Israel Defense Forces. Katz said the proposed military campaign would not be limited to individual attackers. He said Israel would target the "senior leadership and mechanisms" of the Palestinian Authority, which is based in Ramallah in the West Bank. He also warned that Israeli forces would target "all terror infrastructure" across the territory.

West Bank Violence Escalates Amid Israel-Palestinian Tensions

Violence has increased across the occupied West Bank since the October 7 Hamas attack and the start of the Gaza war. Recent months have also seen a rise in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians. Many of these incidents have resulted in little or no legal consequence, adding to tensions in the territory.

Israel Plans Targeted Killings and Military Presence in West Bank

Katz said the planned Israeli military operation could include "targeted killings of senior figures". He also said Israel could order the "evacuation of residents from the cities and villages from which terror activity is carried out". Katz said Israeli forces would maintain a permanent military presence in those areas. He compared the proposed strategy with the "security zones" where the Israeli military currently operates in Gaza and southern Lebanon.

Israeli Military Kills Palestinian Assailant After West Bank Stabbing

The Israeli military said on Monday that its forces shot and killed a Palestinian assailant after he stabbed an Israeli settler in the northern occupied West Bank. Israel's Magen David Adom emergency service said a man in his 20s suffered multiple stab wounds. He was taken to hospital in moderate to serious condition. The stabbing came amid heightened tensions and continuing violence in the West Bank.

Benjamin Netanyahu Vows Action Against West Bank Militants

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Israeli soldiers who killed the Palestinian assailant and vowed to continue military operations. "No terrorist can hide.We will continue to eliminate terrorists, hunt down those who dispatch them, and destroy the terrorist infrastructure in J udea and Samaria," he said in a statement, using the Biblical term for the West Bank.

Hamas Calls for Escalation Against Israel

Hamas responded to the stabbing attack by calling for an escalation of attacks against Israeli forces and settlers. The Palestinian Islamist movement called to "escalate the resistance and engage with the enemy soldiers and settler gangs".

October 7 Hamas Attack and Israel-Gaza War Death Toll

Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel killed 1,221 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Militants also took 251 hostages and transported them to Gaza. Forty-four of those hostages have been reported dead. Israel responded with a massive military offensive in Gaza. At least 73,651 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian territory's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority. The United Nations considers the ministry's figures to be reliable. The Israel-Hamas war has also contributed to a sharp increase in violence in the West Bank, where Israeli military operations, settler attacks and Palestinian attacks continue to fuel tensions.