Hamas says fighters in Rafah is not going to give up

Hamas fighters holed up within the Israeli-held Rafah space of Gaza is not going to give up to Israel, the group’s armed wing mentioned on Sunday (November 9, 2025), urging mediators to discover a answer to a disaster that threatens the month-old ceasefire.

Sources near mediation efforts instructed Reuters on Thursday that fighters may give up their arms in change for passage to different areas of the enclave beneath a proposal geared toward resolving the stalemate.

Egyptian mediators have proposed that, in change for secure passage, fighters nonetheless in Rafah give up their arms to Egypt and provides particulars of tunnels there to allow them to be destroyed, mentioned one of many sources, an Egyptian safety official.

Sunday’s assertion from Al-Qassam Brigades held Israel answerable for partaking the fighters, who it mentioned have been defending themselves.

“The enemy should know that the idea of give up and handing oneself over doesn’t exist within the dictionary of the Al-Qassam Brigades,” the group mentioned.

U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned on Thursday that the proposed deal for about 200 fighters can be a check for a broader course of to disarm Hamas forces throughout Gaza.

Al-Qassam Brigades didn’t remark straight on the persevering with talks over the fighters in Rafah however implied that the disaster may have an effect on the ceasefire.

“We place the mediators earlier than their duties, and so they should discover a answer to make sure the continuation of the ceasefire and forestall the enemy from utilizing flimsy pretexts to violate it and exploit the state of affairs to focus on harmless civilians in Gaza,” the group mentioned.

Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire took impact in Gaza on October 10, the Rafah space has been the scene of at the very least two assaults on Israeli forces, which Israel has blamed on Hamas. The militant group has denied accountability.

Rafah has been the scene of the worst violence for the reason that ceasefire took maintain, with three Israeli troopers killed, prompting Israeli retaliation that killed dozens of Palestinians.

Separately, Al-Qassam Brigades mentioned it should hand over the physique of deceased Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin in Gaza on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Since the ceasefire, Hamas has handed over the our bodies of 23 of 28 deceased hostages. Hamas has mentioned the devastation in Gaza has made finding the our bodies tough. Israel accuses Hamas of stalling.

Israel has launched to Gaza the our bodies of 300 Palestinians, in accordance with the territory’s Health Ministry.

Local well being authorities mentioned on Sunday that one man was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Bani Suhaila east of Khan Younis, south of the enclave. The Israeli navy made no rapid remark.

Hamas-led militants seized 251 hostages within the October 7 assaults and killed one other 1,200 folks, in accordance with Israeli tallies. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed practically 69,000 Palestinians, well being officers within the enclave say.