Hamas’ armed wing said on Sunday that its fighters encircled in the Israeli-controlled Rafah area will not lay down their arms, calling on mediators to avert a collapse of the month-old ceasefire.
People briefed on the talks told Reuters last week that a proposal under discussion would allow the remaining fighters to leave Rafah if they surrendered their weapons. One Egyptian security source said Cairo had floated a plan for combatants to hand over arms to Egypt and disclose tunnel locations for demolition in return for safe passage elsewhere in Gaza.
In a statement, the Al-Qassam Brigades rejected any capitulation and blamed Israel for continued clashes.
“The enemy must know that the concept of surrender does not exist in the dictionary of the Al-Qassam Brigades,” the group said, adding that mediators “must find a solution to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire and prevent the enemy from exploiting pretexts to target civilians.”
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday the mooted arrangement for roughly 200 fighters would serve as a test case for wider disarmament of Hamas forces across the Strip.
Rafah has seen the deadliest incidents since the U.S.-brokered truce began on Oct. 10. Israel says at least two attacks there targeted its troops, killing three soldiers and prompting retaliatory strikes that local officials say left dozens of Palestinians dead. Hamas has denied carrying out the attacks.
Separately, Al-Qassam said it would transfer the body of fallen Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) on Sunday. Since the ceasefire began, Hamas has returned the remains of 23 of 28 deceased hostages, saying destruction in Gaza has hampered recovery efforts. Israel accuses the group of delaying. Gaza’s health ministry says Israel has repatriated 300 Palestinian bodies to the enclave.
Local authorities reported one man killed in an Israeli strike on Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis, on Sunday. The Israeli military did not immediately comment.
Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251 in the Oct. 7 attacks, according to Israeli figures. Gaza health officials say nearly 69,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ensuing offensive.