Seven hostages were rescued from the now-destroyed tunnel, including Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, Ron Benjamin, Yitzchak Gelernter, Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez.
Hamas used the tunnel, which passed near the area in which are stationed IDF troops, the military stated.
The Hamas armed wing spokesman did not say how many soldiers had been abducted and showed no proof of the claim.
While the IDF operates in the north and south of the enclave, a Ynet report stated that Netanyahu delayed the operation in the north due to pressure from Bezalel Smotrich.
How the IDF's 98th Division faces the challenges of clearing terrorists from this key north Gaza neighborhood, and what it has learned from seven months of war.
THE DECLARATION addresses the concerns of mainstream Israelis and their international partners.
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