No Gaza ceasefire yet: Israeli military

Jerusalem, Oct 17

The Israeli military on Tuesday confirmed that there was no ceasefire in the Gaza Strip yet and the Rafah Crossing Point between the Hamas-controlled enclave and Egypt remains closed.

Addressing a regular briefing, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said that although Israel is concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, but the military bombing was “intelligence-led”, reports CNN.

As of Tuesday, nearly 3,000 people have been killed in the Israeli airstrikes launched in retaliation to the October 7 Hamas attack.

Hecht also condemned the release of a video showing one of the hostages held by Hamas as "psychological warfare", adding that "this is ISIS' playbook".

The IDF official accused Hamas of stealing fuel and food from the UN relief agency in Gaza.

On tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, Hecht said there had been further incoming fire on Tuesday across the border from the neighbouring country, CNN reported.

An anti-tank missile had been fired, causing some injuries, and Israeli forces were returning fire.

"Our rules of engagement on the border are very clear right now: Anyone who comes near the fence will be shot," Hecht said of the northern border.

He warned that Lebanon needed to ask itself: “Do they want to risk their future for Hamas? People in Lebanon have to be asking themselves that.”

Asked if Israel was able to wage war on two fronts, Hecht said: "Of course we can. But the level of violence would be very, very bad. But of course we can."