A spokesperson for the Israeli army stated that the army is still engaged in combat with Hamas in some areas of southern Israel as of 1:30 AM local time, and that the situation remains beyond complete control. He added that the large number of civilians and military personnel captured by Hamas during the surprise attack on Saturday will influence the future of this war, alongside what Israel will do against Hamas.
In contrast, the military spokesperson for the "Qassam Brigades," Abu Ubaida, declared that the number of Israeli captives, including soldiers and officers, is significantly higher than what Netanyahu believes, stressing that the threat to Gaza and its people is a losing game, while reaffirming the continuation of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation.
On another note, a senior official in President Joe Biden's administration said that the United States is working with other governments to ensure that the crisis does not escalate and is contained within Gaza. Reuters reported that the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the United States currently has no information to indicate Iran's involvement in the attack on Israel, although Tehran's long-standing support for Hamas is well-known. He added that the United States is closely monitoring the situation.
