Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari November 9th, 19:40

Good evening,

IDF troops continue to expand their combat within the heart of Gaza City, where we are approaching and clearing Hamas assets and posts. One such post is the Hamas security quarter. This is a very central site in the northern Gaza Strip, that includes Hamas posts, command centers, including Hamas’ intelligence headquarters, aerial defense headquarters, Hamas administrative buildings, training grounds, munitions manufacturing plants and underground terror compounds.

We breached this area for a second time and cleared it. We fought and eliminated over 50 terrorists. We found many weapons. We also found a lot of intelligence material that we will take and study. We continued to clear this area and other areas.
Additionally, we killed multiple commanders today, including senior commanders from the anti-tank missile array. This is a central Hamas unit in the war. Killing its commanders was a significant blow to their force’s abilities to fight against us.

I would like to inform you that a few hours ago, I accompanied the Chief of the General Staff, the head of the ISA and the GOC Southern Command into the heart of Gaza. Together, we joined an armored convoy of tanks and APCs. These are the same vehicles in which our troops travel into Gaza. This is risky. The fact that IDF senior commanders are at the front is a significant statement. They are meeting the forces, understanding the battle from the front, understanding the challenges. The Chief of the General Staff and the head of the ISA are meeting the fighters in the battlefield to understand the challenge. This is perhaps one of the biggest challenges in the Middle East and the entire world. The challenge is to fight in a city like Gaza, with density like in Shati, with tall buildings, with underground activity. The commanders understand this from the front.

We sat together, with the division commander and with the brigade commanders. We were with the commanders and troops in the field. We understood the challenges. We understood what was missing, and what more was needed. Mainly, we heard that they are receiving excellent intelligence and we understood what else we need to give them from the Intelligence Directorate and the ISA. We understood that IAF strikes are very powerful and help the fighting forces. We will deepen these strikes in order to help and protect our fighting forces because we want to maintain operational security, above all, and kill terrorists.

We confirmed that our troops receive breaks so they can be alert, so that they can rest and strike. We checked the defense areas, and how our troops will be protected when they operate on the front and from the front. One of the significant items that the commanders highlighted in the field, is the Technology and Logistics Directorate, that opened entire systems on the front lines. Those tanks that are damaged and those bulldozers that are damaged (that have a very central part in fighting and protecting the forces) are repaired very quickly in the field, 90% of our tools are fit for combat.

This is very significant and powerful for combat. The partnership of the Chief of the General Staff and the head of the ISA together, shoulder to shoulder in the field, discussing and understanding how to eliminate Hamas’ senior leadership, how to target Hamas commanders, and how to improve the intelligence for the fighters in battle. The forces told the Chief of the General Staff that they are determined to eliminate the terrorists. They receive what is needed. They are ready for a long war, and are preparing to dismantle Hamas. They will complete this mission properly. This is the message from the commanders in the front.

The battle continues. There is no ceasefire, we repeat, there is no ceasefire. We continue to fight at this time. On our return, we passed by the humanitarian corridor. We saw that the humanitarian corridor is effective. Today we saw over fifty thousand Gazan civilians from the north of the Gaza Strip moving southward. They understand very well that we are fighting significantly in Gaza City and its surroundings, and that Hamas has lost control. The south is safer and that is where humanitarian aid arrives. Food, water and medicine arrive there, led by Egypt and the USA. And we are now fighting a ground operation that we will only deepen. In the heart of Gaza City, we will reach more and more Hamas strongholds.

While we were patrolling the area, the commanders at the front, others [Hamas commanders] were sitting in bunkers. They are cut off from reality, cut off from their people, cut off from the fighting, letting the terrorists die on the front while they sat and ate in their bunkers. The people of Gaza already understand this very well and express this sentiment.

North
In the north today we struck two terrorist cells that were planning to shoot into Israel.
Additionally, we struck a terrorist cell that fired at an UAV belonging to the IDF.

Eilat
In the afternoon, a UAV hit a civilian building in the city of Eilat. There were no casualties. We are investigating this incident, both to clarify where the aircraft came from and also why an alert was not activated. We will study all these details and inform the public. There are no casualties, the alert system works, the abilities work. A few minutes ago, we activated an alert and an alarm because our Arrow missile intercepted a threat far from the State of Israel, far from Eilat, which was heading towards Israel. We intercepted a surface-to-surface missile that was launched in our direction. The defense in Eilat and its surrounding areas protects it from sea and airborne threats, forming layers of defense, which is a good defense. We will investigate why this happened. We will learn and draw lessons and also inform the public.

Judea and Samaria
Overnight, there was a shooting attack in Samaria. Our forces are searching the area and looking for the terrorists. We continue with significant operational activity day and night - arresting hundreds of Hamas suspects, and thwarting more terrorist attacks by making arrests and thwarting threats from the air. This is how we acted today for hours in the Jenin Camp. The 900th Brigade is still operating there in the field, killing terrorists, carrying out counter-terrorism activities in the Jenin Camp.

Homefront Command
We continue to update the instructions of the Home Front Command every day. The air defense system is in its widest deployment ever and has so far intercepted thousands of threats to the territory of the State of Israel. Despite this, and even if there was a decrease in the number of launches, do not become complacent. Listen to the instructions of the Home Command, they save lives, wait the time required for an alarm to be activated until the fragments of the interception are finished, take these 10 minutes and return to the routine of life. Responsibility and care saves lives.

This evening footage was published that shows a sign of life from dear Hannah and Yagil from inside the Gaza Strip. We embrace them and their families, and tell them and all the families of the hostages, as well as the hostages if they hear me: We have not missed any opportunity and we will not miss any opportunity whatsoever to return hostages. The IDF works together with the other security organizations around the clock with a top effort - intelligence, operational, civil, any effort we can make will be made first and foremost, to return the hostages.

So far, we have updated the families of 239 hostages and as I said, we are doing everything, everything to update the families with every detail of information we have, even now. We will update you, and then the public, regarding any future information that we will have. We have also updated the families of the 354 fallen IDF soldiers who fell in the battles in defense of Israel. They are also joined by the fallen forces from the Israel Police, ISA, Magen David Adom, and many brave civilians who fell in battle including the firefighters, may their memory be a blessing. We will continue to accompany them and their families and strengthen them.