US Presses Israel to Allow Hamas Operatives Safe Exit from Rafah Tunnels
The United States has urged Israel to permit between 100 and 200 Hamas operatives entrenched in a tunnel network beneath the Israeli-controlled side of the Yellow Line in southern Gaza’s Rafah to depart safely, according to a Middle Eastern diplomat.
Washington views this effort as a potential pilot program for a larger initiative aimed at decommissioning and granting amnesty to Hamas fighters, aligning with a component of President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for resolving the Gaza conflict. The proposal involves surrendering weapons to officials at the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat, with fighters then receiving safe passage to a third country or being allowed to return to Hamas-controlled areas west of the Yellow Line. Discussions involving Israel and Turkey have been ongoing.
While Israel has not rejected the proposal outright, it has expressed resistance to unconditionally releasing all operatives, citing concerns that some may be responsible for attacks against Israelis and could require detention. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially verbally accepted a similar framework outlined in Trump’s plan in September, but a subsequent October 9 agreement focused on immediate ceasefire terms and hostage exchanges. The ongoing conflict has created a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with over 1.7 million people displaced according to UNOCHA.
Earlier this week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir suggested conditioning safe passage on the return of Lt. Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier killed and abducted by Hamas during the 2014 Gaza War. Some Israeli defense officials reportedly believed Goldin’s remains were within the tunnel network, prompting caution in military operations, though the IDF later denied having information supporting those claims. For more on the hostage situation, see The Times of Israel’s coverage.
Officials stated that talks continue to secure safe passage to avoid a potential firefight, but no fighters have yet evacuated the tunnels.
