6:30 a.m. ET, October 8, 2023
The Israeli military is aware that Hamas has taken “dozens” of hostages, but is still trying to determine the exact figure.
From CNN’s Niamh Kennedy in London
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is trying to determine the exact number of hostages in Gaza, the military’s international spokesman told CNN on Sunday, stressing the “complex” nature of the situation.
Speaking to CNN’s Leila Harak in an interview from Tel Aviv, IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hatch said the IDF believes “dozens” of hostages are being held in Gaza.
“Because life here is so sacred, we’re making sure we come out and understand the numbers perfectly,” Hecht added.
Severe strikes are coming: Hecht said the IDF would launch a “severe offensive inside the Gaza Strip” in response to the Hamas incursion on Saturday.
Hecht said the military would evacuate Israeli communities around Gaza and “do everything we can to minimize casualties and evacuate people who are not involved.”
Hecht told CNN that the main purpose of the IDF is to “stabilize the defense, protect the border” and “take care of the communities.”
“Our goals will probably be decided by the government today, tomorrow, but it has to be done in a systematic way,” Hecht said.
North Situation: Hecht said the IDF is ready if violence in Gaza spreads to the West Bank or Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
Israel attacked an area of Lebanon on Sunday after what the IDF described in a statement as “shooting” into Israel from the country.
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah then issued a statement on Sunday claiming responsibility for targeting three Israeli positions with missiles and artillery in an area known as Sheba Farms.
Lebanon and Israel are considered enemy states, but the two have largely been in a ceasefire since the conflict in 2006.
Hecht expressed hope that Hezbollah would not arm Hamas, stressing that doing so would be a “huge mistake.”
“It’s early days, we’re at the beginning, the beginning of it. It’s hard to say. I mean, we’re ready for the gathering of fields. That’s what we’re ready for,” Hecht said.