Hamas Fighters in Rafah Reiterate No Surrender to Israel
Despite ongoing ceasefire, Hamas' armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades insists fighters will not surrender their arms.
GAZA - The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, has reiterated that its fighters holed up in the Israeli-held Rafah area of Gaza will not surrender to Israel.
In a statement on Sunday, the group urged mediators to find a solution to a crisis that threatens the month-old ceasefire.
According to sources close to mediation efforts, a proposal has been made where fighters could surrender their arms in exchange for safe passage to other areas within the enclave under a plan aimed at resolving the current stalemate.
Egyptian mediators have proposed that, upon surrendering their arms to Egypt and providing details of tunnels in Rafah for destruction, the fighters would be granted safe passage.
However, Al-Qassam Brigades has firmly stated that surrender is not an option, holding Israel responsible for engaging its forces while they were defending themselves.
The group emphasized that it will not entertain any notion of surrender or capitulation.
The proposed deal for approximately 200 fighters marks a significant test for a broader process to disarm Hamas forces across Gaza.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff commented on the matter, stating that this deal would serve as a gauge for further disarmament efforts.
Al-Qassam Brigades' recent statement implies that the ongoing crisis involving the Rafah fighters could impact the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The group called upon mediators to take responsibility and ensure the continuation of the ceasefire, warning against Israeli violations using pretexts.
Since the US-brokered ceasefire went into effect on October 10, Rafah has witnessed some of the most intense violence, with at least two attacks on Israeli forces attributed to Hamas by Israel.
The area has seen significant casualties, including the deaths of three Israeli soldiers, leading to retaliatory strikes from Israel that have resulted in the loss of dozens of Palestinian lives.
Separately, Al-Qassam Brigades announced it will transfer the body of deceased Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin from Gaza on Sunday at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT).
Since the ceasefire, Hamas has handed over the bodies of 23 out of 28 deceased hostages, attributing the difficulty in locating the remaining bodies to the devastation in Gaza.
Israel accuses Hamas of intentionally delaying the process.
In turn, Israel has released the bodies of 300 Palestinians back to Gaza according to the territory's health ministry.
On Sunday, local health authorities reported that one man was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Bani Suhaila, located east of Khan Younis, south of the enclave.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on this incident.
The October 7 attacks led by Hamas resulted in the seizure of 251 hostages and the death of another 1,200 individuals, based on Israeli estimates.
Israel's retaliatory campaign has claimed nearly 69,000 Palestinian lives, according to health officials in Gaza.
In a statement on Sunday, the group urged mediators to find a solution to a crisis that threatens the month-old ceasefire.
According to sources close to mediation efforts, a proposal has been made where fighters could surrender their arms in exchange for safe passage to other areas within the enclave under a plan aimed at resolving the current stalemate.
Egyptian mediators have proposed that, upon surrendering their arms to Egypt and providing details of tunnels in Rafah for destruction, the fighters would be granted safe passage.
However, Al-Qassam Brigades has firmly stated that surrender is not an option, holding Israel responsible for engaging its forces while they were defending themselves.
The group emphasized that it will not entertain any notion of surrender or capitulation.
The proposed deal for approximately 200 fighters marks a significant test for a broader process to disarm Hamas forces across Gaza.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff commented on the matter, stating that this deal would serve as a gauge for further disarmament efforts.
Al-Qassam Brigades' recent statement implies that the ongoing crisis involving the Rafah fighters could impact the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The group called upon mediators to take responsibility and ensure the continuation of the ceasefire, warning against Israeli violations using pretexts.
Since the US-brokered ceasefire went into effect on October 10, Rafah has witnessed some of the most intense violence, with at least two attacks on Israeli forces attributed to Hamas by Israel.
The area has seen significant casualties, including the deaths of three Israeli soldiers, leading to retaliatory strikes from Israel that have resulted in the loss of dozens of Palestinian lives.
Separately, Al-Qassam Brigades announced it will transfer the body of deceased Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin from Gaza on Sunday at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT).
Since the ceasefire, Hamas has handed over the bodies of 23 out of 28 deceased hostages, attributing the difficulty in locating the remaining bodies to the devastation in Gaza.
Israel accuses Hamas of intentionally delaying the process.
In turn, Israel has released the bodies of 300 Palestinians back to Gaza according to the territory's health ministry.
On Sunday, local health authorities reported that one man was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Bani Suhaila, located east of Khan Younis, south of the enclave.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on this incident.
The October 7 attacks led by Hamas resulted in the seizure of 251 hostages and the death of another 1,200 individuals, based on Israeli estimates.
Israel's retaliatory campaign has claimed nearly 69,000 Palestinian lives, according to health officials in Gaza.
