100 Hamas terrorists entrenched in southern Gaza tunnel refuse to surrender

The Hamas terrorists who are entrenched in a tunnel in Rafah have made it clear that they are not willing to surrender, a Palestinian source in the Gaza Strip told Kan News on Monday.

The operatives stressed that they will not agree to any initiative that would force them to leave this tunnel network in any manner other than one of their own choosing, which would allow them to leave with "dignity."

According to the source who spoke to Kan News, about one hundred Hamas militants are barricading themselves inside the Rafah tunnel and refuse to surrender.

The militants’ composition includes experienced field operatives with combat experience as well as others who were only recently recruited into Hamas’ military wing.

The most senior figure present in the tunnel is a Hamas officer with the rank of battalion commander or deputy battalion commander.

Meanwhile, the United States is pressuring Israel to reach a solution regarding the besieged militants. Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, conveyed a message to Israel saying it should release all the militants to the Gaza side, which is controlled by Hamas.

According to him, they would be released without weapons, and this would be considered part of the demilitarization of the Strip.

President Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to meet with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya. In Israel, officials estimate that the parties will discuss, among other things, the crisis of the trapped militants and attempt to reach a solution.

Israel was notified of the meeting in advance, but expressed concern that the United States and Hamas might reach a solution “over our heads,” as a senior Israeli source told Kan News.

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