Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, February 29th, 2024

"Good evening. Today is the 146th day of the war. IDF forces are operating in all arenas, both in defense and offense.

This evening, two Israeli civilians were murdered in a shooting attack in Eli. An armed terrorist who arrived at a gas station in Eli in a vehicle fired toward a vehicle in which there were three Israelis–two of them were murdered. 

The terrorist was neutralized by a civilian, a reservist soldier in the Givati Brigade who returned from fighting in Khan Yunis, who operated courageously and with determination and brought the incident to an end. Many forces were dispatched to the scene and are currently searching the area. IDF forces, together with the ISA, have been conducting hundreds of counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria over the past few months and have apprehended about 3,400 terrorists during the war, including 1,500 Hamas terrorists.

As part of the preparations of all security forces for the Ramadan period and with consideration of the ongoing war, we are increasing training and improving the readiness of the forces of the Central Command for scenarios of escalation. We are operating around the clock to counter terrorism. 

IDF forces are operating and striking throughout Gaza. over the past ten days we have eliminated over 450 terrorists in Gaza, 450 terrorists. Since the beginning of the war, we have eliminated over 13,000 terrorists. We have dismantled the military framework of Hamas’ Khan Yunis Brigade in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. Together with the ISA, we are conducting focused intelligence and operational efforts in Khan Yunis. We will utilize all our operational intelligence in Khan Yunis. We are currently operating in the Al-Amal neighborhood and the Absanim area in Khan Yunis, destroying terrorist infrastructure and eliminating terrorists. 

Over the past two weeks, we have completed a targeted operation in Shati, northern Gaza, and IDF forces are now operating in Zaytun. We are returning to areas where we have previously operated following new intelligence received from our forces on the ground, locating new Hamas underground infrastructure and neutralizing them. We arrived at areas from which rockets are fired toward Israeli territory and destroyed the rocket-fire capabilities [there]. We have destroyed approximately 1,000 rocket launchers and launching pits since the beginning of the war. This was all done in order to create a sense of safety, safety which will enable residents to return to their homes. 

In the early hours of the morning, during an operation to deliver humanitarian aid to northern Gaza, 30 trucks that made their way to northern Gaza encountered a mob of Palestinians that began to crowd around them and loot the equipment they carried. 

The trucks entered from the Rafah Crossing, were inspected in the Kerem Shalom crossing– where inspections are very thorough–and continued to the northern part of Gaza, adjacent to the coast. About 400 meters from the [humanitarian] corridor, the trucks were stopped by the mob. Tens of Gazan residents were killed as a result of overcrowding, and the Palestinian trucks unfortunately ran over them during an attempt to escape. 

An IDF force that was securing the area passed by the crowd and opened fire only when they encountered danger, when the mob moved toward it in a manner that endangered the force. The footage shows how tanks pass adjacent to the mob and do not harm it. I emphasize–contrary to accusations, we did not fire toward individuals seeking aid and we did not fire toward the humanitarian convoy from the ground nor from the air. 

We are operating in accordance with the decision of the political echelon and transferring humanitarian aid into Gaza which will allow the continuation of combat. This is the fourth time this week that a truck convoy has passed to northern Gaza in this manner, and it is the first time an incident of this sort took place. 

Tonight, Israeli civilians breached the Erez Crossing and entered Gaza in violation of the law, while harming the activity of IDF forces operating in Gaza. Some of them also expressed themselves in an extremely severe manner, swearing at the soldiers. 

We condemn any criminal behavior. The fact that soldiers are being violently attacked by those they are defending is extremely serious. Soldiers are busy with this rather than fighting in Gaza. This requires a severe treatment. 

On the northern border, the defensive and offensive activity of the forces continues. Our goal is to restore security to the north. In the last month, we eliminated over 60 Hezbollah terrorists, including three senior commanders at the rank of brigade commanders. Since the beginning of the war, we have eliminated over 220 Hezbollah terrorists and tens of other Palestinian terrorists and struck over 4,000 Hezbollah targets: weapons storage facilities, operational headquarters, strategic capabilities and Radwan posts and infrastructure. 4,000 targets. This week we struck compounds deep within Lebanon belonging to Hezbollah's aerial defense array. This is a distant strike in the Beqaa, this is an array that Hezbollah has invested a lot of money in, in an attempt to limit the IDF's freedom of action in Lebanon’s skies.

The Israeli Air Force proves time and time again that there is no place we would want or be required to strike where we will not do so. Hezbollah continues to fire to the north, we know that. It is on our minds. They are paying an increasingly heavy price for that. I know that many residents of the north and Israeli residents are worried about combat in the north. Know this–IDF forces are widely deployed along the border and are striking Hezbollah with determination along the border and in Lebanon. Striking using great force. We will continue to update you on any developments. If there are special instructions for the Israeli home front, we will provide an immediate update within a sufficient time to allow the public to prepare. At this stage, I repeat, at this stage, there is no change in the home front and I ask that you refrain from passing on rumors and follow only the official instructions.

We are simultaneously training the forces, increasing readiness, and preparing for scenarios, including war, if required. We have one mission–to distance Hezbollah from the border and create secure conditions, security which will allow residents to return to their homes. 

I’d like to address the hostages. If you can hear me, it’s been 146 days and every day that passes is unbearable. I want you to know that every soldier in Gaza, every single soldier that is in Gaza, is fighting for you. That is the most important thing to the soldiers. [I want you to know] that your families are fighting for you–we meet with them, and they are telling us this. We will continue to do everything, we are obligated to bring you home."

Below is the English Statement by IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari regarding this morning's incident involving a humanitarian aid convoy in northern Gaza and the IDF's ongoing humanitarian aid efforts

"This morning, the IDF coordinated a convoy of 30 aid trucks to provide additional humanitarian assistance to the residents of Northern Gaza. This humanitarian aid came from Egypt; Went through a security screening at the Kerem Shalom humanitarian crossing in Israel, and then entered Gaza for distribution by private contractors. As these vital humanitarian supplies were making their way towards Gazans in need, thousands of Gazans descended upon the trucks. Some began violently pushing and even trampling other Gazans to death, looting the humanitarian supplies. The unfortunate incident resulted in dozens of Gazans killed and injured. 

Here are the facts:

At 4:40 AM the first aid truck in the humanitarian convoy started making its way through the humanitarian corridor that we were securing. Yes, the IDF was securing the humanitarian corridor so that the aid convoy could reach

its destination in northern Gaza. Our tanks were there to secure the humanitarian corridor for the aid convoy. Our UAVs were in the air—to give our forces a clear picture from above during this humanitarian operation. At 4:45 AM, a mob ambushed the aid trucks bringing the convoy to a halt. As you can see, in this video, the tanks that were there to secure the convoy— see the Gazans being trampled—and cautiously tries to disperse the mob with a few warning shots in the air. When the hundreds became thousands and things got out of hand the tank commander decided to retreat, to avoid harm to the thousands of Gazans that were there. Here you can see how cautious they were

when they were backing up. I think, as a military man, they were backing up securely, risking their own lives, not shooting at the mob. The Israel Defense Forces operate according to the rules of engagement and international law. No IDF strike was conducted towards the aid convoy. I want to repeat that: no IDF strike was conducted towards the aid convoy. On the contrary — the IDF was there conducting a humanitarian operation to secure the humanitarian corridor and allow the aid convoy to reach its designated distribution point so that humanitarian aid could reach Gazan civilians in the North that are in need. We have been conducting humanitarian operations of this kind, for the last four nights, without any problem, [this is] the first night that we had this kind of event. This humanitarian aid was coordinated by Israel for the people of Gaza. 

We want humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza. We are working around the clock to make this happen. Israel puts no limits on the amount of aid that can go into Gaza. We are working together with humanitarian organizations and the international community to help them solve the issue of aid distribution inside Gaza, it is a problem. This morning, humanitarian aid made its way to northern Gaza. There was no IDF strike on this aid. I repeat—there was no IDF strike on this aid. On the contrary, the IDF was conducting a humanitarian operation — that’s why we were there. Because our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza. We are in a war that we did not start; we did not seek. Hamas started this war when it massacred and kidnapped Israeli civilians on October 7 and then went back into Gaza and hid behind Gazan civilians using them as human shields. We recognize the suffering of the innocent people of Gaza. This is why we are seeking ways to expand our humanitarian efforts. This is why we are conducting humanitarian operations like the one we conducted this morning."