Amidst the ongoing conflict, the Israel Defense Forces’ spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, accused Hamas terrorists of exploiting civilians as human shields in their ongoing counter-offensive within the Gaza Strip. He said that the IDF will destroy Hamas for the sake of Gaza.
“Hamas is holding the people of Gaza hostage, cowardly, using them as human shields. Hamas is at war against humanity, not just Israel. They terrorize Jews and Arabs. They seek the deaths of Israelis and Palestinians. The Israel Defense Forces will destroy Hamas for the sake of Israel, Gaza, and the entire world,” he added
The IDF also reported that Hamas had taken fuel and medical supplies from United Nations personnel in Gaza. This amount of fuel was sufficient to operate Gaza’s water desalination process for six days.
IDF spokesperson Hagari emphasized that this act revealed what they believed to be the true nature of Hamas, accusing them of stealing vital resources.
In response, Hamas’s military spokesperson, Abu Obeida, claimed to be holding between 200 and 250 hostages in Gaza. He mentioned that the exact count was challenging due to security and practical issues. Additionally, he stated that about 200 of these hostages were linked to a previous terror attack on November 7. Abu Obeida referred to foreign hostages as “guests” and pledged to protect and release them when conditions on the ground permitted.
Furthermore, Israeli actor-filmmaker Itzik Cohen, known for his role in the Netflix series ‘Fauda,’ released a video message in which he characterized Hamas operatives as terrorists rather than freedom fighters. He urged fellow citizens to be vigilant and avoid spreading false information, emphasizing that Hamas aimed to destroy Israel and harm Jewish people worldwide. Cohen likened Hamas to ISIS.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Israel Air Force (IAF) conducted airstrikes on targets associated with the terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon in response to an attack on Israel.