Hamas Asked To Attract Members From Israel's Military-controlled Gaza Region
JAKARTA - Egyptian and Qatar mediators gave Palestinian militant groups Hamas 24 hours, until Thursday evening local time to withdraw their members from the eastern region of the Israel-controlled Gaza Strip or risk being hit by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) attacks.
The deadline expires at 20.00 local time, in which Israel has obtained approval from the US, Egypt, and Qatar to strike Hamas targets on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line that separates it from half of Gaza's territory under the de facto power of the terror group, US officials told The Times of Israel as quoted October 31.
The statement specifically ignores Turkey, another mediator of the Gaza ceasefire. Ankara has been one of Israel's most vocal critics on the global stage and may not want to be associated with a statement giving Jerusalem the green light to carry out an attack on Hamas.
The US official did not elaborate on how the Hamas fighters ended up on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line.
A source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel the demarcation has not been fully enforced to date and troops on the ground do not always understand where the line is located in various Gaza regions, given that the line was only made a few weeks ago for the deal.
Israel has publicly warned Hamas members hiding on the east side of the Yellow Line to step down last week.
Israeli Defense Minister Katz said on October 20 he instructed the IDF to deliver this warning to Hamas through an international monitoring mechanism led by the United States that oversees the ceasefire in Gaza.
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