Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied ‘safe passage’ to Hamas operatives hiding in terror tunnels within the Israeli ceasefire lines, media reports suggest. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won’t allow Hamas terrorists safe passage, stands firm in insistence on disarming Hamas, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip,” Arutz Sheva/Israel National News reported, citing government sources.
An estimated 200 Hamas terrorists are ‘stuck’ behind the Yellow Lines, which demarcates areas under Israeli military control under the Gaza ceasefire plan brokered by President Donald Trump. Terrorists inside the tunnels had apparently positioned themselves to carry out sneak attacks against Israeli troops and now find themselves ‘trapped’ on the wrong side of the ceasefire line.
According to Israeli media, Prime Minister Netanyahu is sticking to his decision despite diplomatic pressure from Washington.
The Times of Israel reported Monday evening:
Following reports on Monday that Israel was considering granting terrorists hiding in tunnels safe passage from Israeli-controlled areas of the Gaza Strip to the Hamas-run zone, a statement attributed to an “Israeli official” — often a euphemism for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office — said the premier “is not allowing safe passage for 200 Hamas terrorists.”According to Israeli estimates, some 200 Hamas gunmen are currently located in the tunnels underneath the IDF-controlled parts of southern Gaza, especially in Rafah, and are unable to retreat to the Hamas-controlled areas without emerging from their tunnels and being spotted by Israeli troops.Channel 12 news reported earlier on Monday that Israel would approve the fighters’ safe passage if they agreed to give up their weapons. (…)After the Channel 12 initial report was met with heavy criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, the “Israeli official” vehemently denied that Netanyahu would grant such passage to Hamas operatives stuck in Rafah.“The prime minister persists in his firm stance on the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Strip while eliminating terrorist threats to our forces,” said the official. (…)Channel 12 reported later Monday that the United States is pressuring Israel to permit safe passage for the Hamas operatives, part of efforts to advance to the next stage of the emerging ceasefire framework based on Trump’s plan.
There is widespread support within Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government to eliminate terrorists entrenched in areas controlled by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), The Jerusalem Post observed:
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir appealed to Netanyahu to prevent this, demanding that all Hamas terrorists on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line be killed or imprisoned, his office confirmed.”This is an opportunity to destroy or arrest [Hamas terrorists,] not to release them under ridiculous conditions,” he said.Finance Minister Bezalal Smotrich denounced the reported plan, calling it “utter madness,” and calling on Netanyahu to stop it.The family of Chief Sgt. First Class (res.) Yona “Efi” Efraim Feldbaum, who was murdered by Hamas terrorist sniper fire in Rafah on October 28, also called the idea “unthinkable.””It is unthinkable to allow the vile terrorists, the murderers of our best sons, to go free. Efi’s death was not in vain,” they stated.”We call on Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz to stop the disgrace,” and to “give the order to destroy the surrounded terrorists,” they added.”We will stand as a wall to stop the madness and ensure that the people of Israel receive the minimum required,” clarifying this is, in their view, the elimination of Hamas terrorists, and not allowing them to return to the battlefield as heroes praised by the terror group.
The news comes as Hamas continues to violate the ceasefire, trying to stage another attack on Israeli soldiers across the Yellow Line. Tuesday morning, “a terrorist was identified crossing the yellow line and approaching IDF soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip, posing an imminent threat to them,” the military said in a press release. “Shortly after identification, the terrorist was eliminated in order to remove the threat.”
Israeli “soldiers under the Southern Command remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat,” the IDF statement added.
A day after an IDF strike in southern Lebanon eliminated the commander of Hezbollah-Radwan Force, Israel reportedly struck a terrorist vehicle in the area, Arab media outlets reported on Tuesday.
The Israeli military warned on Monday that terrorists on the Lebanese side of the border “continued attempts to reestablish Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites.” Under the U.S.-backed ceasefire plan, Lebanon’s government must disarm Hezbollah and demilitarize the terrorist-infested country by the end of 2025, a prospect unlikely to be fulfilled.
The Times of Israel reported the latest IDF strike:
Lebanese media reports an Israeli drone strike targeting a car in the southern town of Kfar Dajjal, near Nabatieh.At least one casualty is reported in the strike.There is no immediate comment from the IDF.In recent weeks, the IDF appears to have stepped up its strikes on Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon, who Israel says are violating the terms of a November 2024 ceasefire.
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