Israel-Gaza updates: Israeli forces preparing for 'wide range of offensive plans'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Kirya in Tel Aviv.

At the start of the expanded meeting, Netanyahu thanked Blinken for his statement: "We are here; we are not going anywhere."

Also participating in the meeting were Foreign Affairs Minister Eli Cohen, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, the prime minister's chief of staff, the director of the National Security Council, the prime minister's military secretary, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and the prime minister's foreign policy adviser. Among those attending for the American side were the acting U.S. ambassador to Israel, the assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs and the diplomatic adviser.

Afterward, Netanyahu and Blinken will meet privately and then issue statements to the media.

Following the statements, there will be an additional expanded meeting with the participation of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, National Unity Chairman MK Benny Gantz and MK Gadi Eisenkot.

-ABC News' Clark Bentson

The State Department does not meticulously track the number of U.S. citizens in any given location, and in Gaza, the circumstances don’t necessarily provide for perfect recordkeeping, but as part of its efforts to join the U.S. visa waiver program this summer, the Israeli government estimated the number of Americans living in Gaza at between 100 and 130, and the Biden administration accepted that range.

Meanwhile, the State Department estimates that roughly 500,000 American citizens reside in Israel, a larger number than many other available calculations likely because Israel’s parameters for who qualifies as a full-time resident of the country are more stringent.

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford

According to Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson Daniel Hagari, Hamas is no longer in control of certain parts of the Gaza Strip and the IDF is currently focused on killing Hamas leaders and their terrorist fighters

Meanwhile, fighting is ongoing going on in the south of Israel and there were four different incidents with 15 militants killed overnight, Hagari said.

The IDF has now notified another 200 families of lost IDF soldiers while engineers are working as quickly as possible to fix the Gaza border fence, according to Hagari.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller

United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warmly greeted each other before the second day of NATO sessions at its Brussels headquarters.

Austin invoked the conflict in Israel ahead of the meetings, saying "I know you share our outrage at the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas and also our determination to support Israel's right to defend itself."

Austin and his counterparts are expected to discuss support for Ukraine, NATO's missions and operations in Kosovo and Iraq and will also be briefed on the ongoing situation in Israel by Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, Stoltenberg said.

"On all of these issues, the Middle East, Ukraine, Iraq -- the United States, and you personally, Secretary Austin, provides security and leadership for all the NATO allies, and that is something we really, really appreciate." Stoltenberg said.

Sharing similar sentiments, Austin said that "NATO is as strong and as united as I've ever seen it."