IDF spokesman: Gaza terrorists no longer breaching border, we have info on all hostages
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says Israel is completing clearing southern Israel of terrorists and has information on all Israelis taken hostage in Gaza.
In a press conference, Hagari says that troops are still going from house to house in towns close to the Gaza border, searching for terrorists.
“There are no terrorists crossing the fence from Gaza into Israel,” he says, noting that those who try are being struck by the Air Force.
“Since this morning, there have been a few encounters with terrorists. There have been none at all in the last few hours,” Hagari says.
Hagari says the army has “the full details” on all of those taken captive by the Hamas terror group.
“As of now, we have notified 30 families. When we complete notifying the families, the number of hostages in Gaza will be made available to the public,” he says.
The rate of Israeli Air Force attacks on the Gaza Strip is five times that carried out against Hezbollah in the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Hagari says.
Some 60 fighter jets are carrying out waves of airstrikes against Hamas targets at this hour.
He says that the military has completed the evacuation of the towns adjacent to the border, and that there are a few families who have chosen to stay.
Regarding the armed infiltration from Lebanon, Hagari says the identities of the gunmen are still under investigation. He confirms that three terrorists who breached the border were killed, while one managed to escape back into Lebanon.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.