Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari November 10th, 20:15

Good Evening. And shabbat shalom. As we conclude two weeks of ground activity in Gaza. We are prepared and on high alert on all fronts that threaten the State of Israel. Last night, we operated in Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria, Gaza and the area of the Red Sea. Our enemies are trying to divert our attention from the ongoing operations in Gaza, where our hostages are being held and where Hamas is located. Hamas, the terrorist organization that we must dismantle. We remain focused on our mission, focused on Gaza. 
 
At this stage, our troops are operating in the heart of Gaza City, securing Hamas strongholds and battling terrorists. These terrorists are hiding in, entering and exiting the tunnels. We are fighting the terrorists in the tunnels, utilizing grenades, avoiding their traps, destroying tunnel openings and damaging underground infrastructure. This type of combat is complex and difficult. Our troops are operating extensively from the air, from the sea with the primary operation on the ground, by our armored, infantry and combat engineering forces, slowly dismantling Hamas’ terrorist strongholds. Their extensive operations are destroying the enemy. In every such battle, we have the upper hand. 
 
Hundreds of thousands of Gazan civilians have moved south and Hamas is doing everything it can to prevent them from moving. Hamas uses civilians as human shields. It is willing to use the children of Gaza to protect itself. Thus, Hamas’ evil knows no limits. Hamas-ISIS hides in hospitals, humanitarian facilities, and schools. It commits all of these violations of international law. We will continue to expose these heinous actions to the world. We will continue to expose Hamas-ISIS’s true face as a terror organization that makes cynical use of humanitarian facilities. We will continue to expose this to the world. We will find every terrorist and settle the score. 
 
During the day, there were reports in foreign media and in our own media regarding a deal for the release of the hostages. I want to tell you a number of things regarding this matter: we are working around the clock, leading initiatives to release the hostages. These processes are complex, they are not final, they are not complete, they take time and will take more time. We will not miss any opportunity to bring hostages home. Not operationally, not on the intelligence front, nor on the civilian front. I call on the public to take information from the official Israeli reports only. If and when we have anything to report, we will first report it to the families and then to the general public through the media. This war is far from being over. It will take time and there is still much work to be done.
 
We are striking extensively in the north. Our fighter jets are striking Hezbollah terrorist organization targets and terrorist infrastructure. We are acting in response to the infiltration of three UAVs into Israeli territory, one of which was intercepted and two of which fell. They did not ultimately pose a threat to the civilians of the State of Israel. We will continue to respond with live fire to eliminate terrorist cells that attempt to infiltrate our territory or fire towards our territory. 
 
Tonight, we struck a terrorist organization in Syria that launched a UAV towards our territory. This is a similar aircraft to the aircraft that struck the school in the city of Eilat. We will continue to respond decisively to any terrorist target in Syria. Syria is a sovereign state and the Syrian regime is responsible for any act that takes place in its territory. Of course, we are examining any event of aircraft infiltration, including this one. We are examining how civilians are alerted to such events, the content of the alerts, how they appear on our radars and how we intercept such targets. We examine our own actions at the Home Front Command Headquarters, in the Air Force, the General Staff Headquarters and the Operations Directorate, in order to provide our civilians with better defense. I want you to know we conducted this examination, improving our situational report, expanding our capabilities, in the southern, naval and aerial arenas, including our three layers of aerial defense system. All these defenses protect the southern region of the State of Israel. We will continue to learn, to examine ourselves and to provide the civilians of the State of Israel with better defense. Stay vigilant and listen to the Home Front Command instructions. These instructions save lives.
 
So far, we have notified the families of 356 IDF fallen soldiers who fell in the battles for the defense of the State of Israel. May their memories be a blessing. We will continue to accompany the families and strengthen them. Before Shabbat, through the media, I heard a highly moving recorded radio conversation between a father and his son, who are currently serving in Gaza. The son is an armored corps soldier currently operating with his tank crew in the heart of Gaza City. The father is a reservist fighter pilot and is recorded providing his son and crew with aerial support. Together. In the State of Israel we are fighting on a unified front. This could only take place in the IDF. We are fighting together for our home.
 
Tonight too, I wish to address the families of the hundreds of thousands of our troops. The children, the women, the men, the grandfathers and grandmothers. You bring us great strength. Your embrace and your support enable us to be strong on the battlefield and achieve victory.