Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant addressed the press on Thursday regarding the ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip.

"I ask the world as a father, what father stops searching for his children?! The hostages are my children; we will not stop until we reach them," Gallant stated, speaking on the backdrop of pictures of children in Hamas captivity.

He continued: "The IDF has begun using new methods to deal with the tunnels and with those who are in the tunnels. We are working on and succeeding in finding solutions for this problem."

"We will reach everyone who was involved in the attack, we will not let up, we will eliminate everyone, they have no place under the sun," the Defense Minister added. "The terrorists in Shifa (Hospital) hear the bulldozers and the soldiers and are shaking from fear."

Earlier in the evening, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari spoke to the press and said that "there is no ceasefire, combat continues."

Regarding the footage of hostages released by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, he stated: "We embrace the families of Yagil and Hanna, we did not and will not give up an opportunity to bring back the hostages."

He added: "If there will be news regarding the hostages, we will first update the families and then the public. Everything else is psychological terrorism."