Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari October 30th, 10:40

Readout of the Morning Briefing - October 30

Good morning,
Over the past day, we have expanded ground activities, with additional forces entering the Gaza Strip including Infantry, Armored Corps, Combat Engineering and Artillery Corps. Through integrated strikes of the Ground Forces and the IAF, dozens of terrorists were eliminated last night who had barricaded themselves in buildings and attempted to attack the forces that were moving in their direction. I want to explain and provide an example. We are conducting expanded ground operations in the Gaza Strip. Ground forces, tanks, infantry, and armored forces are maneuvering towards terrorists. The terrorists are assembling in staging sites in order to try to attack our soldiers, after which we strike them from the air. As one example, in one of many strikes, we targeted 20 terrorists who were assembled and preparing to attack our forces. We maneuver on the ground, identify the terrorists, and strike from the air. Ground forces are also directly engaging terrorists. The fighting is being carried out in the Gaza Strip.

We are constantly assessing the situation and progressing gradually according to our operational plans. The offensive activity will continue with determination and intensify according to the phases of the war and its goals.

In the north, IDF troops are deployed and on high alert along the entire border.

Yesterday a fighter jet struck rocket launchers in Syria that had launched rockets towards Israel. An aircraft also struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. We are continuing to strike along the border. Every terrorist cell that Hezbollah deploys to the security fence will be eliminated. Every terrorist cell that attempts to shoot at our territory will be eliminated. We will continue to operate in this way today as well. We will continue to maintain high alert in the north. This is the mission.

Early this morning, an IAF aircraft thwarted a number of armed terrorists in Jenin. Armed terrorists in contact with our ground forces were eliminated from the air. In parallel, we detained dozens of terrorist operatives last night. In total, over seven hundred Hamas terrorists have been detained throughout Judea and Samaria since the beginning of the war. We will continue to thwart terrorism to secure Judea and Samaria. It is critical that the residents of Judea and Samaria continue to abide by the instructions of the Commander of the Central Command.

We continue to conduct daily situational assessments on the homefront in order to determine defense guidelines. We need to enable routine activities even under the shadow of the war, including the operation of educational institutions and other civil services. Yesterday the Commander of the Home Front Command delivered a statement to this effect and we will continue to update the Home Front Command website. Continue to adhere to the guidelines; they save lives.

So far, we have notified the families of 312 fallen IDF soldiers and the families of 239 hostages.

Returning the hostages is a supreme national mission. Our ground activity in the Gaza Strip serves, among other things, this purpose.

The issue of the hostages is not only a national issue. It is a global issue. Children, women and the elderly, Israelis, and other nationalities are being held by a murderous organization that committed a war crime, committed a crime against humanity of unimaginable proportions. Apart from the supreme effort of the IDF and the State of Israel, the world and international institutions also have a moral responsibility to ensure the health and safety of the hostages and to do everything possible to bring them home.