IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari on Friday said that while civilians in Gaza may be running out of fuel, the Hamas terror group has no shortage of the key product.
Hagari also said that the IDF has encircled Gaza City, "from the air, the land, and the sea."
"The soldiers are advancing in battles during which they are destroying terrorist infrastructure above ground and underground, and eliminating terrorists," he added. "Overnight, our forces operated in several locations and found many weapons - grenades, explosives, protective gear, communications equipment and maps. These were all in terrorist strongholds that our forces have secured. They eliminated the terrorists and exposed the weapons intended to be used against our forces."
He noted that, "Today we revealed a recording of an official from the health system in Gaza, speaking to our forces, describing how Hamas holds fuel tanks at the Shifa hospital where it distinctly uses it for terrorism, and steals from the hospital."
"While Hamas threatens that the fuel in the hospitals is about to run out, it steals this same fuel from sick patients and those receiving care and uses the fuel for terrorism. We will continue to expose to the world the actions of Hamas and how it cynically uses the population as a civilian shield."
IDF forces are also powerfully deployed along Israel's northern border, Hagari added, noting, "We carried out extensive strikes and hit a number of Hezbollah terrorist cells, in response to wide-ranging fire shot by the Hezbollah organization towards Kiryat Shmona and Safed, as a result of which civilians were injured. We will continue to respond firmly against any harm to the citizens of the State of Israel."
He stressed that the IDF will not be diverted from its war against Hamas in Gaza, despite the attempts by other Iranian proxies to open fronts in northern Israel and near Eilat.
"In Judea and Samaria - tonight our forces operated in the city of Jenin. During this operation, our forces made contact with terrorists, thwarting them as necessary from the air and from the ground, continuing to expose terrorist activity and arrest terrorist operatives, as we do in the face of this threat of terrorism in Judea and Samaria. We will continue to do so based on every indication together with the ISA, this is how we work to thwart terrorism in Judea and Samaria.
"Stick to the guidelines of the Home Front Command, and make sure that you and your loved ones fulfill them fully," he urged the Israeli population. "Strict adherence to the guidelines saves lives."
On the matter of the hostages, he said, "So far, the families of 241 hostages have been notified."
"The number of hostages changes and is updated according to the intelligence information we receive, which is why I update it on a daily basis, of course this happens after we have updated the families. The number will change and may change further in the future according to the intelligence assessments and we will continue to inform the public about this."
"We are reviewing this information and updating and will come back and do it again. It is a top priority for us to return the hostages and bring every piece of intelligence every operational or civilian opportunity to return them home."
A total of 338 IDF soldiers fallen in the line of duty, and their families have been informed, he added, stressing, "We embrace the families. And we will continue to support them. We also support the injured and wish all the injured a speedy recovery."