Mediator Holds Negotiations Regarding Hamas Members In Israel-controlled Gaza Region

Hamas militant groups. (Hassan Alzaanin/TASS)

JAKARTA - Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar are holding negotiations with the United States to facilitate the rescue of members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas trapped in a tunnel in Israel-controlled South Gaza region, several sources said.

"Discussion and communication with mediators (Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar) with America are underway in an effort to resolve this crisis," a Hamas leader told AFP without naming, given the sensitivity of the topic. November 28.

"This issue has been discussed with Egyptian officials this week," said another Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations.

Meanwhile, a source from one of the intermediaries confirmed to AFP, United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey that they had mediated "with the aim of reaching a compromise that would allow Hamas fighters to leave the tunnel behind the Yellow Line (Israeli army withdrawal line) near Rafah," in the southern Gaza Strip.

As previously reported, about 100 to 200 Hamas members are expected to be trapped in a network of tunnels under the city of Rafah, the Gaza Strip region under Israeli military control.

Hamas himself had previously said fighters hiding in the Israeli-controlled Rafah region would not surrender to Israel, asking mediators to find a solution to the crisis that threatened a ceasefire that had lasted a month.

It is known that the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal consisting of 20 points initiated by US President Donald Trump took effect on October 10. The first phase includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Since then, Israel has violated the treaty hundreds of times by claiming Hamas members crossed the "yellow line" of the ceasefire zone and attacked Israeli soldiers, according to Gaza Government media office.