Today (Thursday), Gal Hirsch, the man charged with handling the matter of the missing and captives at the Prime Minister's Office, addressed the efforts to return the missing and captives back to Israel.
"Dear families, during the fighting, we are working on three central efforts," Hirsch said, "1. An operational-intelligence effort. 2. An effort to form a situational assessment of the missing and the captives. 3. An effort to provide government aid to the families of the missing and the captives."
According to him: "Searches on the ground continue and the difficult work of identifying the fallen continues, many wounded are being treated in hospitals and we are following up on every bit of information which will help us locate all the missing."
Hirsch: "Heartened by the strong spirit beating within us"
Hirsch told of his conversations with American parties regarding hostages with American citizenship: "Yesterday I spoke with Roger Carstens, the American Presidential Envoy for Hostages, and today I will meet with his deputy Steven Gillen, who will come special to Israel. The warm connection, the heartfelt concern, and the American commitment to help in any way possible is very important to us."
He ended by addressing the lifting of the nation's spirits in light of the situation: "Many, many people in Israeli society are turning to us with offers to aid and volunteer. I cherish, appreciate, and am heartened by the strong spirit beating within us and growing stronger during the war. My people and I are working round the clock for the missing, the captives, and their families - together, we will overcome and win."