Egyptian Mediators In Gaza Will Discuss Hamas Fighters Behind Israel's 'Yellow Line'

JAKARTA - Egypt's senior mediator team is in Gaza to negotiate with Hamas officials about hundreds of militants trapped in tunnels in Israeli-controlled territory there, several sources told The National.

They said mediators and Hamas were also discussing the second phase of the US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, which began with a ceasefire on October 10 and a exchange of hostages with detainees.

Hamas sources in Beirut confirmed to The National that negotiations to resolve the deadlock on fighters trapped in a tunnel in southern Gaza continued.

The fighters were trapped behind the "Yellow Line", which was the goal of the Israeli troop movement when the ceasefire took effect.

"There is a US mediation led by Trump's envoy, Jared Kushner, and there is also contact regarding issues involving Cairo and Ankara," the source said, quoted by The National November 13.

The ceasefire brokered by the US with its allies, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, took effect from October 10.

Hamas sources said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's way of dealing with trapped fighters "will affect the success chance of starting the second phase of negotiations against President Trump's plan".

The second stage includes the dismantling of Hamas weapons, the establishment of a non-partisan Palestinian technocrat commission to manage daily affairs in Gaza, and the presence of international troops to ensure security on the coastal route.

Hamas sources accused Netanyahu of using pressure from his right-wing ally in government as an excuse to take a hardline position on issues related to Gaza, including trapped fighters.

"Several Zionist voices have called for killing those trapped and not allowing them to leave the tunnel in the southern region of Rafah," the source said.

Meanwhile, sources speaking to The National on Tuesday declined to comment on whether negotiations had progressed, only saying Egypt was against suggestions that fighters should surrender and be given a safe way out of Gaza to live in exile abroad.

"They agreed to hand over their weapons but refused to leave Gaza," said one source about the positions of the trapped fighters.

"The Egyptian team worked in Gaza in deep and high-level coordination with the US and Israel," he said.

The sources said trapped fighters had been able to communicate with their leaders recently, but did not want to explain how.

They said, although Israel was able to destroy the tunnel where the fighters were hiding, Israel was reluctant to do so for fear of being considered a party that violated the ceasefire.