Turkey calls trapped Hamas terrorists 'civilians', tries to secure release after return of Hadar Goldin’s remains

Following the return of the remains of IDF Lieutenant Hadar Goldin on Sunday, Turkey is calling for Israel to allow the 150-200 Hamas terrorists trapped in the Rafah area to be granted safe passage in exchange.

However, a Turkish government official who spoke regarding the issue of the trapped terrorists on Sunday referred to the armed fighters as "civilians." 

Claiming that Turkey had "successfully facilitated the return of Hadar Goldin's remains to Israel after 11 years,” the official told Reuters that Turkey is now “working to ensure the safe passage of some 200 Gazan civilians currently trapped in the tunnels.”

Notably, Reuters, which had earlier reported on the trapped fighters on Sunday, with a headline that called them “terrorists,” later published a separate story about the same group, in which the terrorists were labeled “civilians.” 

Reuters this morning: “200 Hamas terrorists are stuck in tunnels.”

Reuters 12 hours later: “Turkey seeks to save 200 civilians in Gaza tunnels.”

Reuters literally reported that they were terrorists already and yet calls them civilians. Orwellian. pic.twitter.com/IbrMAz9pPC

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) November 10, 2025

Even Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, referred to those trapped in the Rafah tunnels as fighters in a message on Sunday morning, in which the terror group said the men would not surrender. 

“The occupation bears full responsibility for the clashes with our fighters in Rafah, who are defending themselves within an area under its control,” the Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement on Sunday morning. 

“Let the enemy know that the principle of surrender and submission to the enemy does not exist in the Al-Qassam Brigades' lexicon.” 

Palestinian-American mediator Bishara Bahbah told Saudi news outlet Al-Hadath TV that the U.S. is pressuring Israel to allow the fighters to have safe passage out of Rafah in return for the release of Goldin’s remains. 

”Hamas told the mediators: 'We handed over the body, it's your turn to release our operatives,’" Bahbah said.  

“The mediators are working to end this crisis,” Bahbah told the Saudi agency. “I was told that the release of Hadar Goldin would be very significant towards reaching an agreement to release the fighters besieged in Gaza.” 

“Turkey intervened in the matter, as did Egypt and the US – all of these parties want to resolve the crisis,” he claimed. “Hamas handed over the body and did not hold onto it in order to release its fighters in exchange.” 

The Israeli government, however, views the return of Goldin’s body as part of Hamas’ obligations in the first phase of the ceasefire deal, and not as a concession worthy of reciprocation. 

Regarding the condition of the terrorists in Rafah, Babah told Al-Hadath, “I have not heard any reports about their health condition, there have been no reports that they have a problem that requires immediate exit from the tunnels. They have been there for a long time and what is clear is that they have water and food, otherwise, they would not have survived such a period of time.” 

Bahbah also said that he expects an agreement on the safe passage for the terrorists “within two days,” saying, “the United States has the power to do whatever it wants, including forcing Israel to fulfill its obligations.” 

Bahbah also told Al-Hadath that Hamas leaders feared falling into a trap. “Its representatives used the word 'trap' when they spoke to me,” he stated. 

Meanwhile, senior Hamas official Ismail Radwan told Al Jazeera on Sunday night that the group “spoke with the mediators and made it clear that [they] are ready to remove the fighters from the 'Yellow Line' area to prevent Israel from having an excuse to claim that they opened fire or that a conflict has arisen.” 

He also said that Hamas will “hold Israel fully responsible for any escalation, because the fighters are in their places and have the right to defend themselves if it tries to attack.” 

He reiterated that the fighters “will not be afraid of the confrontation.” The one who bears responsibility for the escalation is Israel," Radwan claimed.

"We are committed to continuing the ceasefire, maintaining calm and progressing to the second phase of the agreement. We call on the mediators, and in particular the American administration, to pressure Israel and oblige it to implement it and move on to the second phase."

Another senior Hamas official, Ali Baraka, told Al Jazeera that the arrival of Jared Kushner in Israel is related to the issue of the fighters. 

“American envoy Jared Kushner arrived in Israel to meet with Netanyahu and resolve the issue of the fighters in the Rafah tunnels and ensure the continued implementation of the agreement,” Baraka said. 

In the meantime, Israel continues to resist any Turkish role in the international stabilization force in Gaza, citing repeated anti-Israel statements by Turkish government leaders, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 

Sunday evening, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted a message directed at the Turkish president to social media in Turkish regarding arrest warrants issued by the mayor of Istanbul for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

.@RTErdogan, şu gülünç tutuklama emirlerini al ve buradan defol. Onlar, Kürtlere yaptığın katliama daha uygun. İsrail güçlü ve korkmuyor. Gazze’yi sadece dürbünle görebileceksin. pic.twitter.com/dWhU0IVym4

— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) November 9, 2025

“Erdoğan, take those ridiculous arrest warrants and get the hell out of here. They’re more fitting for the massacres you’ve committed against the Kurds,” Katz wrote. “Israel is strong and unafraid. You’ll only be able to see Gaza through binoculars.”