IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari issued another statement to the press towards the end of the 26th day of fighting Hamas in and around the Gaza Strip.
According to the IDF Spokesperson, “the ground action is advancing as planned. Our soldiers are deepening the fighting in the Strip. Through intelligence planning and combined attacks, our forces breached Hamas’ forward lines in the northern Strip.”
Hagari further said that “during the day, the Chief of Staff approved the plans for continuing the war at Southern Command and strikes in the area continue day and night and will also continue with the continuation of the war, with greater intensity.”
Brig.-Gen. Hagari also addressed a conversation recorded by Israel revealing how Hamas steals fuel from hospitals: “fuel from the hospital, which was supposed to be used for treating patients – and instead served terror infrastructures. Hamas continues to lie, we will continue to expose thorough proofs of this.”
Hagari then turned his attention to the north, saying that “in the north, IDF forces eliminated another terrorist squad which tried to fire into Israeli territory. The forces returned fire and struck the squads.”
Hagari then addressed the process of identifying and informing the families of the fallen and killed: “We informed the families of 240 captives, and 331 IDF fallen so far, including families who lost their loved ones in battles in the Gaza Strip.”
When asked regarding the existing discussions in the cabinet regarding the planned transfer of funds to the Palestinian Authority, he said: “The IDF’s position is not published on the outside. The cabinet makes the decisions, and that’s how we’ll continue to do.”