Army Spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated in a press conference that they had conducted a second targeted operation into the Gaza Strip to gather information about the hostages.
Stating that "they have determined that there are 203 Israelis in the hands of Hamas," Hagari noted that the families of these individuals have been contacted.
Expressing that the area surrounding the Gaza Strip is still considered a "battlefield," Hagari shared that they had captured an "armed element" attempting to return to Gaza yesterday and that his interrogation is ongoing.
Evaluating the potential ground attacks by the Israeli army on the Gaza Strip, Hagari noted that they are working to ensure that all forces are fully prepared with logistics, protective gear, and personal equipment.
523 PEOPLE DETAINED IN THE WEST BANK
Meanwhile, Israeli forces announced that they have detained 523 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank following the attacks that began in the blockaded Gaza Strip on October 7.
In a joint written statement, the Israeli army and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) shared that 523 Palestinians have been detained across the West Bank since the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on October 7.
It was alleged that 330 of the detained Palestinians are members of Hamas and that 50 weapons were seized.
News Source: AA
