The Israeli Channel 12 quoted the official as saying that “Israel will allow Hamas militants to leave if they abandon their weapons and pledge not to return to fighting,” noting that their number is estimated at about 100 fighters inside a tunnel in the Al-Geneina neighborhood of Rafah.
The source added: “The more the militants abandon their weapons and act in accordance with the initiative of US President Donald Trump, and pledge not to return to armed action, Israel will allow them to leave the tunnels safely.”
These developments come days after escalating fears about the fate of the besieged Hamas fighters, coinciding with the stalled implementation of the second phase of the US plan for a ceasefire in Gaza, which includes new security arrangements and redeployment of Israeli forces.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem accused Israel yesterday, Tuesday, of “fabricating the crisis to undermine the US peace plan,” noting in a statement to Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath channels that “the movement is working with mediators to find a solution to the tunnel fighters crisis,” and that “positive solutions have been put on the table for discussion.”
In the same context, US envoy Steve Witkoff explained last week that resolving the issue of the Rafah fighters will be a test of the parties’ commitment to the next phase of the ceasefire agreement, noting the possibility of “providing them with a safe passage to areas under Hamas control in Gaza.”
Also, US President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner discussed, on Monday, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the issue of those besieged in Rafah and the next phase of the US plan, which aims to stabilize the truce and enhance security control through an international mechanism supervised by Washington.
The file of about 200 Hamas fighters besieged in various areas of Rafah is one of the most prominent obstacles to the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire plan, where Israel links any field step to the handover of all weapons and the movement’s pledge not to renew its military activity, while Hamas insists that any agreement must include international guarantees of non-prosecution.
