"Will destroy Hamas for the sake of Israel, Gaza and entire world": IDF

Even as the war of Hamas raged on Tuesday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Hamas has stolen fuel and medical equipment from UN officers in Gaza, enough to fulfill water desalination in the Strip for six days.

"Today the United Nations revealed the true face of Hamas when they confirmed that Hamas stole fuel and medical equipment from UN officers in Gaza City. The amount of fuel stolen is enough to power Gaza's water desalination for six days," IDF spokesperson, RAdm. Daniel Hagari said.

The IDF alleged further that the Hamas terrorists were using civilians as human shields in the ongoing counter-offensive against them in the Gaza Strip.

"Hamas is holding the people of Gaza hostage, cowardly, using them as human shields. Hamas is at war against humanity, not just Israel. They terrorize Jews and Arabs. They seek the deaths of Israelis and Palestinians. The Israel Defense Forces will destroy Hamas for the sake of Israel, Gaza, and the entire world," he added.

Meanwhile, the terror group's military spokesman, Abu Obeida, claimed that they were holding between 200 and 250 hostages in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported, adding that while there was no definitive count, due to "security and practical difficulties", it is understood that he captives from the November 7 terror attacks number about 200.

In a televised statement, Hamas said about 50 others are being held by other "resistance factions elsewhere."

Foreign hostages are "our guests," Obeida said, vowing to protect and release them whenever conditions "on the ground" allow for it, Times of Israel reported.

Itzik Cohen, an Israeli actor-filmmaker known for his portrayal of an intelligence officer in the Netflix series 'Fauda', said in a video message that the Hamas operatives were not "freedom fighters".

Urging fellow citizens to stay alert and be aware of misinformation, the actor said, "Hamas are not freedom fighters, they are terrorists whose only goal is to destroy Israel and kill Jews around the world. I know these atrocities sound unimaginable, but these are the facts in these times. I ask you to stay alert and don't spread false information. Remember, all of this terror has the same address. Hamas. Hamas is ISIS."

Earlier, on Tuesday, the Israel Air Force (IAF) struck terror targets and military infrastructure of the terror group, Hezbollah, in Lebanon, in response to a fire assault on Israel.