Shafaq News – Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US envoy Jared Kushner have reportedly reached an agreement to allow around 200 Hamas fighters trapped in tunnels in southern Gaza’s Rafah city to exit safely, according to a source cited by Yedioth Ahronoth.

The source, a member of Israel’s security cabinet, said the agreement would permit the fighters to be relocated unharmed, but did not provide details on which countries, if any, would host them.

Separately, Israel’s public broadcaster reported that Kushner requested permission for the fighters in Rafah to move to areas under Hamas control elsewhere in Gaza. Israeli assessments suggest the crisis could be resolved because Washington “will not allow anything that undermines the deal.”

Israeli media outlets, however, cited officials stating that no final settlement has been reached regarding the Rafah fighters. Later, Israel’s Channel 12 quoted a US source saying Washington is focused on resolving the situation without delaying the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. The source added that a solution is underway, although it may take several more days.

Read more: Gaza Ceasefire - Phase 1: What we know so far

The issue centers on Hamas fighters remaining inside tunnels in Rafah, a city heavily damaged during recent hostilities. Their presence has become a key point in efforts to move to the next stage of the ceasefire, which came into effect on October 10.

The trapped fighters are located within the so-called “yellow line,” the boundary to which Israeli forces withdrew during the first phase of the ceasefire. The entire city of Rafah falls within this zone. Israeli estimates put the number of fighters at 150–200, though Hamas has not provided its own figures.