Dozens of Hamas terrorists trapped in Rafah tunnels threaten to fracture the ceasefire as Israel refuses concessions and U.S. pressure intensifies.
Deep under the pulverized ruins of Rafah, the war most of the world thinks has paused is still burning. Hidden below the debris are scores of Hamas terrorists, split into rogue cells, sealed inside tunnels behind Israeli lines — a volatile underworld threat that could shatter the fragile ceasefire at any moment.
For Israel, these underground militants aren’t merely a military nuisance. They represent a diplomatic minefield sitting beneath the ceasefire’s foundation. Up to 200 Hamas operatives — isolated, hungry, armed, and unpredictable — remain trapped in Israeli-held territory east of the Gaza ceasefire’s “yellow line,” refusing to surrender and unable to escape.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already made the Israeli position crystal clear:
These terrorists are not walking out. Not back to Hamas, not to safety, and not with their weapons.
But Hamas vows its fighters will never surrender.
And so the standoff tightens.
🇺🇸 U.S. Pressure Builds — Trump Officials Want a Deal
Two senior Israeli sources say the Trump administration wants the Rafah tunnel crisis resolved yesterday. U.S. envoy Jared Kushner pressed Netanyahu directly this week, seeking a path forward into the next phase of the ceasefire:
- Deployment of a foreign security force
- Disarmament of Hamas
- Additional Israeli withdrawals
Every step requires delicate negotiations.
Every delay empowers Hamas.
And the trapped tunnel cells are now blocking the entire diplomatic sequence.
One proposal floated: deporting the militants to a third country — even Turkey. But no nation is volunteering to absorb hardened Hamas fighters.
🇮🇱 Israel: No Deals, No Concessions
Netanyahu’s office has issued repeated denials that Israel ever agreed to release the Rafah militants.
“No agreed-upon solution exists,” Israel emphasized.
“The prime minister did not commit to the Americans.”
Without food, water, or outside command, the terrorists face one choice: surrender or fight.
💣 A Powder Keg Under the Ceasefire
These rogue cells have already sabotaged the truce multiple times. With Hamas’ chain of command fractured beneath ground, isolated fighters launched attacks on Israeli soldiers — killing several — triggering massive Israeli retaliation and nearly collapsing the ceasefire twice.
- Oct 19: After two Israeli soldiers were murdered, Israel struck Hamas positions, killing at least 44 Palestinians.
- One week later: After another soldier was killed, Israeli retaliation eliminated over 100 militants and civilians, including children — again destabilizing the truce.
The tunnel cells operate without authorization from Hamas leadership, making them even more dangerous.
🕳️ Tunnel Combat Continues
Despite the ceasefire, IDF forces are still encountering terrorists beneath Rafah. Twice on Wednesday, troops dismantling tunnels discovered armed Hamas operatives and opened fire — fully permitted under the U.S.-brokered agreement, which explicitly allows Israel to destroy military infrastructure in occupied areas.
Hamas, of course, calls these defensive IDF operations “violations.”
🇮🇱 Israeli Right: “No Escape, No Amnesty”
Israel’s right-wing leaders refuse any scenario that lets Hamas militants rejoin their ranks.
Former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman:
“For terrorists who murdered IDF soldiers after the ceasefire, there are only two options — surrender or death.”
But the U.S. plan allows something Israel cannot accept:
Possible amnesty for Hamas militants if they disarm.
Netanyahu faces immense domestic pressure to reject any such offer.
⏳ A Ceasefire Held Hostage
The Rafah tunnel fighters alone won’t derail the entire ceasefire — America is too invested, and Israel too disciplined.
But they are a critical fault line, a test for every diplomat involved.
Until someone breaks the deadlock, the ceasefire stands on shaking ground — with dozens of desperate Hamas terrorists buried under Rafah, ready to ignite the next explosion.
