Does Israel allow Hamas fighters to cross behind the yellow line?

Israeli occupation forces demolish homes and bomb southern, central, and northern Gaza.

Two Israeli security sources suggested that occupation forces may agree to allow members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, to exit from certain areas where they are trapped and under army control into areas within the Yellow Line. Israeli Channel 12 quoted the sources as saying this could happen on condition that the fighters cross without their weapons.

Negotiations through mediators

Meanwhile, far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized this possibility. In a post on his X account on Monday, he said, “Sir, this is complete madness,” demanding the prime minister stop this immediately.

Hamas sources revealed ongoing negotiations through mediators to extract fighters trapped behind the Yellow Line, inside tunnels in Rafah and Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. They stated that the number of these individuals is estimated at dozens of Al-Qassam Brigades members.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported on Sunday that there are Hamas pockets in parts of Gaza controlled by Israeli forces, especially in Rafah and Khan Younis, vowing to “eliminate them,” as he put it.

Escalation of field operations

Meanwhile, occupation forces continue heavy artillery shelling and tank fire from positions east of Khan Younis in the southern Strip, amid an escalation in field operations despite the ceasefire agreement.

Palestinian sources reported that Israeli warplanes launched a series of intense airstrikes targeting areas east of the city in the early morning hours, concurrent with operations to demolish and blow up residential homes east of the city.

Israeli artillery continued to shell the eastern areas of Deir al-Balah in the central Strip, with intensive drone flights in the region’s skies.

Israeli aircraft bombed several homes east of Gaza City, while the Israeli army’s engineering unit continued to booby-trap and detonate homes.

These operations were concentrated within what is known as the “Red Zone” controlled by the Israeli army, targeting empty buildings from time to time, with no casualties reported so far.

Israel kills those crossing the Yellow Line

The Israeli army announced it killed a number of individuals who crossed the “Yellow Line” separating areas of its troop withdrawal and approached soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip. It claimed these individuals “posed a direct threat” to troops stationed in the area, adding that “immediately after spotting them, the Israeli air force targeted and killed them to remove the threat.” The occupation army confirmed it remains deployed inside the Gaza Strip, “in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, and will continue to move to deal with any direct threat,” as reported by the Times of Israel website. Israeli Channel 12 reported the closure of the Philadelphi Corridor to search for the remains of Israeli hostages.

The Gaza agreement stipulated a ceasefire, prisoner exchange, entry of aid at a rate of 600 trucks daily, disarmament of the devastated Palestinian territory, and formation of an international stability force including Arab and international partners to work with Egypt and Jordan to secure Gaza’s borders and ensure adherence to the truce.