A senior Hamas official told Al Manassa Saturday that the movement's field leadership has decided to confront Israeli forces in the area east of Rafah, rejecting what he described as a “non-negotiable” Israeli proposal for fighters in the tunnels to surrender.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the political and military wings of Hamas had unanimously dismissed the surrender proposal put forward by Israel during recent negotiations. The plan, also endorsed by US President Donald Trump, would have required Hamas fighters in Rafah to surrender their weapons to a third party in exchange for conditional Israeli amnesty.
“As long as Israel is not engaging in a comprehensive solution through negotiations involving international mediators, our only option is confrontation,” the Hamas official said.
Freedom to fight, threat of martyrdom
The field command has granted fighters discretion over combat tactics based on the evolving situation underground, the official explained to Al Manassa. If a deal is not reached, the official added, fighters may resort to martyrdom operations. This stance has reportedly been conveyed to mediators.
The official also warned that any escalation in Rafah is solely Israel's responsibility, affirming that Hamas remains committed to the ceasefire in areas outside the so-called “yellow line,” which demarcates the zone of Israeli control. He accused Israel of attempting to expand this line in violation of the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement.
Denial of Israeli claims, psychological warfare
The Hamas official denied Israeli military claims that five Al-Qassam fighters were captured or had surrendered in Rafah, calling such reports part of a psychological campaign aimed at demoralizing fighters.
“There is no scenario in which our fighters surrender. Israel is spreading misinformation to mask its battlefield failures and scare our resistance,” he said.
Image circulated by the Israeli occupation forces of handcuffed men, claiming they are Hamas resistance fighters who attempted to flee tunnels in east Rafah, Nov. 21, 2025.On Friday, the Israeli army published an image it claimed showed five Hamas fighters attempting to flee a tunnel in eastern Rafah. An accompanying statement said Israeli forces from the Nahal Brigade spotted the group and coordinated with the air force to kill them.
Tunnels still operational despite siege
While the exact number of Al-Qassam fighters in Rafah’s tunnel network remains unclear, Hamas sources estimate between 100 and 200 remain underground under the leadership of Abu Ahmad Al-Bawwab. They say the group retains access to a vast and complex tunnel system that Israeli occupation troops have yet to reach.
The sources denied that all fighters were holed up in a single tunnel, stressing that the military capacity of Al-Qassam remains intact despite a siege that has lasted more than 18 months.
Advanced tech, limited results
Israeli media have claimed that in recent weeks, occupation forces have deployed explosive-laden robots, aerial mapping sensors, and AI-driven detection tools to locate Hamas tunnels beneath Rafah.
Despite this, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz admitted that around 60% of Hamas’ tunnel network is still operational, calling it the backbone of the group’s combat capabilities. Katz’s remarks raised doubts about the efficacy of Israel’s prolonged military campaign, now in its second year.
Ceasefire phase two: disarmament push
Under the ceasefire agreement, the second phase of negotiations on managing Gaza and discussing the disarmament of the resistance is set to begin once the remaining three bodies of Israeli captives, still under Israeli-made rubble in Gaza, are returned.
In late October, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel aims to forcibly disarm Hamas and turn Gaza into a demilitarized zone. He added that Tel Aviv is working with Washington on a plan to “reshape” the territory, while Hamas reiterated that disarmament is a complex national issue requiring broad Palestinian consensus.
