The likelihood of a terrorist attack in the Netherlands has increased in recent months, the Dutch counter-terrorism agency said on Tuesday, raising its terror alert level for the first time since 2019, Reuters and Agerpres reported.

The National Counter-Terrorism and Security Coordinator (NCTV) said it had raised the terrorist threat level to 4 (“significant”) on a scale of 5, citing the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.

“Organizations like ISIS and al-Qaeda are using the war in Gaza to solicit sympathizers to carry out attacks in the West,” NCTV notes.

“Attacks and arrests in France, Belgium and the UK since October illustrate the risks posed by radicalized individuals inspired by current events and terrorist organisations,” NCTV added.

If this agency has information that a specific attack is planned in the Netherlands, the terrorist alert level will be raised to 5 (“critical”).