The IDF reported Friday that the bodies of missing individuals were recovered within the vicinity of the Gaza Strip.
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First reported by Ynet, the bodies of the missing individuals were collected after they were left by Hamas terrorists and were identified from the air. The IDF units are working to determine the whereabouts of the missing and the captured individuals, following the path they were dragged along.
Another reason for sending troops across the border is to act against the tunnels that Hamas built within the Gaza Strip as a warning and defense against potential Israeli entry into the region.
In the latest update provided by IDF Spokesperson, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, he mentioned, "We will continue to make every effort to bring every detail regarding the missing and captured individuals from all locations. The troops have searched and identified findings that may assist in the search." Hagari added, "IDF forces have conducted local incursions into the Gaza Strip to complete the cleansing of the area from terrorists and means of warfare. These actions also involve efforts to locate the missing individuals."
According to him, "IDF ground forces and intelligence units scoured a separate area, collecting potential findings that may aid in the effort to locate the missing individuals. They also dismantled terror infrastructure and tunnels used by terrorists in the area, including a tunnel of Hamas, the terrorist organization that launched explosive-laden drones towards Israeli territory. Additionally, the Israeli Air Force continued its strikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, including strikes on rocket launchers immediately after their activation towards Israel."
Hagari addressed the casualties, the fallen, and the missing in his statement, saying, "We have conveyed messages to 265 bereaved families and to 120 families with regards to those who were taken captive."