Palestinians prepare a flammable object to be flown toward Israel, near the Israel-Gaza border east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on Jan. 18, 2020. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90.

JNS.org – Ahead of the Fifth World Holocaust Forum this week in Jerusalem, Israel has sent Hamas a warning that it will respond immediately and with force if the terrorist organization attempts to undermine the forum, which will be attended by dozens of world leaders.

Concerned at the possibility that Hamas might seek to exploit increased international attention on Israel due to the event, Israel told the terrorist organization that it would respond with forceful strikes to any attacks, despite the international attention, Israel’s Channel 13 reported on Monday.

Hamas is believed to be responsible for the explosives-laden balloons that were launched into Israel from the Gaza Strip last week, according to the report.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and museum are set to host more than 40 world leaders at Thursday’s event. Titled “Remembering the Holocaust: Fighting Antisemitism,” it will commemorate 75 years since the 1945 liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

The guest list includes US Vice President Mike Pence, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prince Charles of Great Britain, King Felipe VI of Spain, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Thousands of police officers, security forces and members of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency deployed across the capital on Tuesday to secure the leaders’ visit, according to the report.