The Israeli military said on Thursday that its forces have killed around 40 Hamas terrorists who had been trapped in tunnels below Rafah in southern Gaza, in an area now under Israeli control.
Hamas has not officially confirmed the number of those trapped or how many may remain © Mena Today
The Israeli military said on Thursday that its forces have killed around 40 Hamas terrorists who had been trapped in tunnels below Rafah in southern Gaza, in an area now under Israeli control.
Around 200 militants had been trapped in the tunnels for months, according to Israeli and U.S. officials, although some have since emerged and been killed in clashes with Israeli forces or have surrendered, Israeli media has reported.
Washington and other mediators had been seeking to reach a deal for the Hamas fighters to lay down their arms in exchange for passage to other parts of the enclave, but those talks have faltered.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff had said the deal would be a test for a broader process to disarm Hamas across Gaza.
The killed militants included at least three local commanders, the Israeli military said on Thursday, as well as the son of one of Hamas' exiled leaders, Ghazi Hamad.
Some Hamas sources confirmed the death of at least one commander, Mohammad al-Bawab, though the group has not officially confirmed the report.
Hamas has not officially confirmed the number of those trapped or how many may remain.
A spokesperson for the group in Gaza declined to comment on Israel's alleged killing of the 40 gunmen.
Reporting by Maayan Lubell and Nidal al-Mughrabi
Gulf hostilities flared again on Wednesday, with an Iranian missile attack damaging Kuwait's airport and the U.S. military carrying out strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, as diplomacy between Washington and Tehran showed little progress.
Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors met Tuesday at the State Department for a fourth round of direct talks, even as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continued unabated on the ground.
Benjamin Netanyahu is under criticism at home after U.S. President Donald Trump declared Israel would halt plans to attack Iran ally Hezbollah in Beirut, highlighting pressure the Israeli leader faces ahead of an election polls show him losing.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.