The Israel Defense Forces says infantry forces and tanks entered Gaza Strip territory today in “localized raids” in order to clear the area of potential terrorists and locate missing Israelis, writes The Times of Israel.

According to the military, the troops scanned and collected various findings “that may help in the effort to locate the missing”.

The IDF says the troops also killed a number of terrorists in the area, including a Hamas cell that launched anti-tank guided missiles at Israel.

The troops did not enter deep into Gaza.

IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says armored and infantry forces carried out searches and “thwarted anti-tank guided missile squads that intended to infiltrate into Israeli territory”.

“The forces located findings that may help in the effort to locate the missing. We will continue to make every effort to find every detail about the missing and hostages”, - Hagari says.

An estimates 150-200 people were taken hostage by Hamas during its murderous attack last Saturday. The IDF has so far notified the families of 120 hostages that their loved ones are being held in the Gaza Strip.