Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, October 9th, Evening

Good evening. We are now in the counterattack stage. 

The goal that has been outlined in the IDF is that on the day after the war, every being left in Gaza will understand the price of starting a war with the State of Israel. 

The understanding will not come through words but through the actions the IDF will carry out over the next few hours, days, and any other time required. 

Throughout the past 24 hours, we have been conducting aerial strikes—destructive aerial operations that include thousands of armaments. To put that in perspective, the pace of the strikes is five times that of the strikes on Hezbollah in the Second Lebanon War. I repeat, five times what it was against Hezbollah in the Second Lebanon War.

During this very hour, we are concluding a concentrated strike by 60 aircraft in the heart of Gaza. We struck terrorist targets in accordance with intelligence, meaning terrorist hubs, apartments used by terrorists for operational purposes and terrorist operation centers.

Yesterday, we conducted a similar type of strike in the Beit Hanoun area and neutralized tens of terrorists. So far, there are hundreds of neutralized terrorists in Gaza; hundreds we have neutralized in the area of the security fence, and hundreds neutralized in the areas surrounding Gaza. 

We are in complete control over the areas surrounding Gaza, and the majority of towns and communities adjacent to the security fence have been evacuated. We finished the evacuation of the communities adjacent to the security fence however, very few families who have chosen to stay there, and we respect their decision. 

This afternoon, I accompanied the Chief of the General Staff to the Gaza Division as he held discussions with commanders in the field and at the division’s headquarters. We are clearing the areas from terrorists and checking home after home. Our soldiers are scanning the area, looking for terrorists that are waiting to attack us. No terrorists are currently infiltrating over the fence; no terrorists are currently infiltrating from Gaza into Israel. IDF forces in the area of the security fence are highly prepared, and tanks and aircraft are present. 

We are ready to neutralize terrorists. Our soldiers’ mission right now in the area surrounding Gaza is to clear any terrorist they encounter. Few encounters have occurred since this morning, and none have occurred in the past few hours. 

The northern arena:

"A number of incidents occurred in the northern arena over the last few hours. Four terrorists infiltrated into Israel in the north; we neutralized three, while one escaped in the direction of Lebanon. We are not yet familiar with the identity of the terrorists. Following that, we struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Leabnon. 

We are watching each and every front and combat arena and are highly prepared for every single one. Anyone who attacks us in any arena will pay a very heavy price. 300,000 reservists have reported for duty in 48 hours. This is an extremely fast rate of reporting, faster than anything we’ve seen in the past. 

The subject of shortages in equipment, food, and vests has been brought up in the media and on social media. I want to clarify this: the IDF is not experiencing a shortage of equipment. Anyone who is conducting operational activities in the IDF is provided with combat equipment; anyone who is currently conducting operational activities in Gaza has combat equipment. Anyone who will be conducting operational activities in Gaza will have priority in receiving equipment. So anyone who is lacking equipment now will be receiving everything they require.

To the public who is sending food and collecting donations, it is heartwarming to see you embracing the reservists and the IDF as a whole, but the IDF has combat equipment; everyone will receive it. Please be patient. 

We set up a civil administration commanded by MG Lior Carmeli dedicated to people who are missing and held captive. High-ranking IDF officers are visiting families, collecting DNA samples and providing them with the details we currently have. We have complete details regarding every person who has been taken captive into Gaza. We have informed 30 families at this point and will provide you with the number of people who are held in Gaza once all families have been informed.

We have established a special team in the Intelligence Directorate dedicated to begin and piece together the location of those held captive in Gaza. We know these are difficult times for everyone. We lost over 700 civilians and soldiers. We spoke with 85 failies, informing them a loved one was killed in combat. We embrace the bereaved families. We wish the hundreds that are injured a full recovery. We are all experiencing very difficult feelings. Fruestration is in the air.

At the end of the day, we must remember one thing: we will achieve victory.

Israel has paid a heavy price—our enemies will pay an unbearable one.

IDF soldiers operated heroically and will continue to operate heroically as long as is required. We have only just begun. We intend to strike back and settle the score with every terrorist that has harmed the civilians of the State of Israel.

Neither our time, our areas of operation, nor our capabilities are limited. We have only one compass—security and victory.