Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari December 3rd, 20:45

Good evening. 

The IDF continues to expand its ground operation against main Hamas fronts in the Gaza Strip. Wherever there is a Hamas stronghold, the IDF operates. The Israeli forces are fighting terrorists face-to-face and killing them. Today, the Chief of the General Staff conducted a situation assessment with the Commander of the Israel Air Force, emphasizing the importance of the air support provided by the Air Force to the ground forces. The strikes and air support are based on quality intelligence against terrorist headquarters, weapons manufacturing sites, terrorist tunnel shafts, and rocket launch sites. Attacking all these targets reduces the threats of ground activity. The IAF, in conjunction with the Military Intelligence Directorate and the ISA, works around the clock to counter these threats in parallel with the ground operation, thereby increasing the security of our forces and using the ground operation to expose and strike the enemy.

We also continue to eliminate the terrorists who lead the fighting. Today, the IDF,  based on guidance by the ISA and intelligence units, and as part of the Southern Command's operation, targeted and killed the commander of the Shati Battalion through an airstrike. The commander of the Shati Battalion led the fighting in the past month in the Shati area. Under his command, there were also infiltrations into Israeli territory, including the brutal massacre on October 7th. We will continue to pursue, locate and eliminate every commander who terrorizes the area under their control, as we did yesterday in the Shejaiya Battalion.

The 137 hostages taken on October 7 are still being held in Gaza. They are always in our minds as we conduct intelligence and operational assessments around the clock. This is happening at the headquarters under the command of Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, appointed by the Chief of the General Staff, along with the greatest minds of the Intelligence Branch, ISA, and the Mossad. We are gathering intelligence tirelessly and directing it to every relevant force to ensure we are not endangering [the hostages] and know how to leverage operational opportunities. We will continue to do so. We will do everything to bring them back.

In the north, we are attacking Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon from the air and the sources from which rockets were fired into our territory from Lebanon and Syria. One of the launches from Lebanon hit a military vehicle near Beit Hillel. Several soldiers and civilians were lightly injured and evacuated for medical treatment. Our policy is clear – we will forcefully target any threat to our territory. IDF troops are deployed and ready in the Northern Command and all sectors.

This evening, updated Homefront Command instructions were published. Please remain vigilant and follow the instructions, which are also updated on relevant websites – these instructions save lives.

This morning, the recruitment week for IDF fighters began, with the enlistment to the Givati Brigade and the Armored Corps. Last week we completed the recruitment of female combat soldiers, this is happening during the war. The combat soldiers enlisting for combat service make significant contributions to the security of the State of Israel. Good luck to the new recruits.