Hamas condemns 'Israeli' hunt for trapped tunnel fighters as ceasefire violation
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- Hamas denounces 'Israel’s' pursuit of trapped Rafah fighters as a violation of the Gaza ceasefire.
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) condemned what it described as a “brutal crime” by 'Israeli' forces targeting Palestinian fighters trapped in the tunnels of Rafah, calling the pursuit, execution, and arrest of these fighters a clear violation of the Gaza ceasefire.
“Hamas has spent the past month working with political leaders and mediators to resolve the situation of the fighters and ensure their safe return home, presenting detailed proposals and mechanisms in full coordination with mediators and the U.S., a guarantor of the ceasefire. Yet, Israel has undermined all these efforts, prioritizing killing, pursuit, and arrest over diplomacy,” the movement said in a statement.
Hamas placed full responsibility on 'Israel' for the lives of its fighters and urged mediators to act immediately to pressure 'Israel' to allow their return, describing them as symbols of sacrifice, heroism, patience, and Palestinian dignity.
The comments came a day after the 'Israeli' army said it killed five Palestinian fighters on Tuesday who allegedly emerged from a tunnel network in Rafah in southern Gaza.
Hamas had earlier raised the fate of fighters in Rafah during talks on Sunday with the head of Egyptian intelligence on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
According to Hebrew media reports, 'Israel' conveyed a proposal to Hamas last week regarding the conditional release of dozens of fighters believed to be trapped in tunnels in an IOF-controlled area of eastern Rafah, Channel 12 reports, citing an 'Israeli' official.
The proposal, sent to senior Hamas officials via mediating countries, would allow the remaining fighters to emerge if they surrender and agree to be transferred to 'Israeli' prisons. They would allegedly later be eligible for release and relocation to the Hamas-controlled area of Gaza, provided they pledge not to return to "terrorism and disarm".
The report also states that since the proposal was made, the fighters have not surrendered and have on multiple occasions emerged from tunnels and allegedly attempted to flee or attack IOF forces, implying that the offer has not been accepted, the network notes.
