IDF Spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Hagari, addressed the ongoing conflict today (Tuesday) and mentioned that the number of captives whose families have been notified stands at 240.
At the beginning of his remarks, Lt. Col. Haggai assessed the fighting in the Gaza Strip and mentioned the elimination of Hamas commander Nassim Abu Ajina, who was responsible for the deadly attack on Kibbutz Erez and Netiv HaAsara. He stated, "Tonight, forces continued to fight and advance in ground operations in Gaza, with combined and coordinated attacks involving ground and air forces. Terrorists were eliminated, and terror targets were attacked."
According to him: "Our fighters at this moment are fighting in the battlefield with courage and determination, conducting daring operations where they eliminate terrorists and engage in face-to-face combat. It's dangerous warfare, but it's necessary to achieve the goals of the conflict."
Thousands of Lebanese are fleeing the south of the country for fear of war
Earlier today, a Red Alert siren was activated in the city of Eilat due to concerns of infiltrating hostile aircraft, according to the IDF spokesperson. He clarified that there is currently no threat in this area. The IDF spokesperson also addressed the northern front, where Israeli Air Force planes struck and reported the destruction of Hezbollah's terror infrastructure. He emphasized that the IDF is in a very high state of readiness, alertness, and deployment. In recent weeks, thousands of Lebanese people from the southern part of the country have moved away due to fears that Hezbollah might initiate a conflict.
Regarding the issue of captives and missing individuals, the IDF spokesperson updated that families of 240 people held by Hamas have been informed. He explained that the increased number is due to the complexity of identification, as it includes individuals who are not Israeli citizens. Additionally, he mentioned that notifications have been made to the families of 315 fallen IDF soldiers.
In conclusion, he asked the citizens of Israel to continue to maintain resilience and patience in the coming weeks, "We are convinced that we all have the ability to show this resilience in order to achieve the goals of the war, including bringing the abductees home and the collapse of Hamas," said Hagari.
According to him, "There are additional goals in this war, such as border security, fundamental change, and regional deterrence. This will be a long war with complex objectives, and we will achieve them. It requires patience and endurance."
