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The Israeli military announced Sunday that it killed four Hamas fighters who emerged from underground tunnels in Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip that remains under Israeli control despite an ongoing ceasefire.
The operation reportedly took place overnight in the eastern part of the city, within what the Israeli army refers to as the "Yellow Zone," a boundary marked with yellow concrete blocks.
According to a military statement posted on Telegram, the fighters were "eliminated" by Israeli forces with air support after emerging from underground infrastructure. No immediate response was issued by Hamas regarding the incident.
Recent Israeli media reports indicate that around 200 Hamas fighters are believed to be trapped in tunnels underneath areas now held by Israeli forces in Rafah. The militant group has reportedly called on mediators to press Israel to allow the trapped fighters safe passage to Hamas-controlled areas of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas publicly acknowledged the situation for the first time on Wednesday, according to multiple sources cited by AFP. The group’s request was made through mediating countries involved in the ceasefire process, including Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the United States.
While a ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S. and regional partners has been in place since Oct. 10, Israeli military operations continue in parts of Rafah. The Israeli army maintains that its forces are acting within the framework of the ceasefire agreement, which allows for operations to counter "immediate threats."
On Friday, the Israeli military reported that more than 30 fighters who attempted to flee the tunnels had been killed.
The Israeli army said its troops remain deployed in accordance with the agreement, which involved a withdrawal behind the Yellow Line inside Gaza.
Nevertheless, Israeli forces continue to engage in operations in the eastern sector of Rafah, indicating the fragile nature of the truce.
The current truce includes the phased release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the reconstruction of Gaza, and the establishment of a new governing structure in the territory that excludes Hamas.
Despite the ceasefire, both Israel and Hamas have accused one another of violating its terms. Since the agreement took effect, the Gaza Health Ministry—whose figures are regarded as reliable by the United Nations—reports that 354 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire.
Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 2023 have killed at least 70,100 people and injured nearly 171,000 others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
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