"We called on the residents of Gaza to evacuate in order to reduce harm to the civilian population, but Hamas is taking advantage of the residents and calls on them not to listen to our recommendation - the responsibility for what may happen to those who do not evacuate is on their heads," he noted.
He continued, "We are preparing for the next stages of the war - the forces are training and mobilizing. We are entering a tense weekend, IDF forces are deployed to respond to any scenario. It is necessary to show vigilance in the war zones, we ask the public to show responsibility and vigilance."
The Rear Admiral noted with great sadness, "We have given notices to the families of 120 abductees and 258 fallen IDF soldiers."
He further stated that the IDF is focused on freeing the Israelis and foreign nationals being held hostage by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
"It keeps us awake at night, and many efforts are concentrated on this matter," he said.
