Trapped Behind the Yellow Line… Hamas Seeks a Ray of Light in Rafah’s Tunnels
Hamas is seeking a possible agreement with Israel in hopes of resolving the crisis of its fighters trapped behind the “yellow line” in Gaza.
Sources familiar with the negotiations regarding the fate of these fighters confirmed that talks are ongoing to reach a solution.
A Hamas official, speaking anonymously to AFP, said that “discussions and contacts with the mediators (Egypt, Turkey, Qatar) and the Americans are continuing in an effort to end the crisis.”
According to Israeli media, between 100 and 200 Hamas members remain trapped within a tunnel network beneath the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, within an area under Israeli military control.
However, a senior Hamas official estimated that the number of fighters, “most of them from the al-Qassam Brigades, ranges between 60 and 80,” stressing that they are “under siege.”
Under the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on October 10, the Israeli army withdrew from certain coastal areas of Gaza to positions behind what is known as the “yellow line,” marked by yellow concrete blocks.
Public request
On Wednesday, Hamas called on the mediating countries to pressure Israel to allow its fighters to exit through a safe corridor, marking the first time the movement has made such a request publicly.
In a statement, the movement declared: “We call on the mediator brothers to act urgently to pressure the occupation to allow our sons to return to their homes.”
A Palestinian source involved in the negotiations confirmed that the issue was discussed this week.
He added: “This matter was discussed with our brothers in Egypt, and the crisis was addressed this week with Minister Hassan Rashad, the head of intelligence.”
A source in one of the mediating countries also told AFP that the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey are working to reach a settlement that would allow Hamas fighters to exit the tunnels located behind the yellow line.
The source explained that “the current proposal grants them a safe passage to areas not under Israeli control, helping to ensure that this issue does not become a point of contention that could lead to further violations or a collapse of the ceasefire.”
No agreement
Israel has not publicly expressed approval of any arrangement that would allow Hamas fighters to leave the tunnels.
Earlier this month, an Israeli government spokesperson told AFP that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “will not allow a safe passage for two hundred Hamas terrorists.”
He added that Netanyahu “remains committed to dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities and disarming the Gaza Strip.”
In a statement on Wednesday, Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement by “pursuing, eliminating, and arresting” its fighters trapped in Rafah’s tunnels.
