Hamas Fighters Inside the Yellow Line: A New Test for the Gaza Ceasefire

The return of the bodies of Israeli hostages and the reopening of the Rafah crossing are not the only obstacles to implementing a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. A new challenge has emerged with the presence of hundreds of Hamas fighters inside the so-called “Yellow Line” area within the Gaza Strip.

According to CNN, Israel is considering an Egyptian proposal that would allow Hamas fighters trapped in areas under Israeli control—located east of the “Yellow Line”—to cross into territories controlled by Hamas, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing pressure from his far-right allies to reject the proposal.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed his opposition on the social platform X, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a statement asserting that there is “an opportunity to eliminate or capture them (Hamas fighters), not to let them go.”

A senior Israeli official said that “Netanyahu has so far prevented 200 Hamas fighters from returning to areas under Hamas control.”

The official added, “The Prime Minister remains committed to his firm position on disarming Hamas and the Gaza Strip while thwarting terrorist threats against our forces.”

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli army announced that it had targeted individuals who crossed the Yellow Line and approached Israeli troops.

In a statement, the army said, “Several terrorists who crossed the Yellow Line and approached Israeli forces operating in southern Gaza were detected, posing a direct threat.”

It added, “Once identified, the Israeli army acted both by air and on the ground to eliminate the threat they posed. The southern command’s forces remain deployed in the area under the framework of the ceasefire agreement and will continue operations to remove any direct threats.”