At Least 200 Terrorists Are Trapped in Tunnels Behind Israeli Lines and Guess Who Wants to Free Them?

At least 200 Hamas thugs remain trapped underground on the Israeli side of the so-called "yellow line" that marks the boundaries between free and terrorist-controlled Gaza, according to the October ceasefire mediated by President Trump; see Trump Speaks to World Following Mid-East Peace Deal, 'Have Achieved What Everybody Said Was Impossible.'

How the Hamas terrorists ended up behind Israeli lines in substantial numbers a month after they were required to withdraw is unclear. Outlets, like the Wall Street Journal, report that the men were left behind when the ceasefire boundaries went into effect: "Hamas has said it lost the ability to communicate with the men in March." Their inability to withdraw was allegedly caused by "lack of communications," and by Israel cutting the massive tunnel networks spanning the length and breadth of Gaza.

Quite honestly, that story may be the most ridiculous Arab military report since Baghdad Bob reported the destruction of the U.S. Army at Baghdad International Airport. Given that the Israelis didn't begin a systematic campaign against Hamas tunnels until this spring, the idea that a couple of hundred men lacked the curiosity to either contact friendly units on the surface, use existing telephone lines, or simply walk underground toward friendly lines is nonsense.

As late as the week after the ceasefire agreement, the terrorists were still fighting Israeli troops underground showing they had access to adequate food, water, and ammuntion, "A detachment of Israeli engineering troops was demolishing tunnels behind the withdrawal line in Gaza last month when Hamas militants sprang from a hidden shaft, fired an antitank missile toward their excavator and killed two soldiers."

A more plausible explanation for the episode is that Hamas was leaving gunmen behind to emerge and blend in with the returning population. This would quickly return the Israeli-occupied area to Hamas control. Keeping the tunnels in use would also provide a jumping-off point for another October 7-like assault.

Hamas has demanded that the trapped terrorists be allowed free passage back to Hamas territory. Last week, the U.S. delegation proposed to set the terrorists free, perhaps using the good offices of the Red Cross. The U.S. plan calls for the terrorists in the tunnels to surrender and hand over their weapons to a third party (Egypt, Qatar, or Turkey). In return, Israel would grant amnesty to the terrorists provided they don't return to military activity (that rates an lol). Finally, the terrorists would then be transferred from areas under Israeli control to areas under Hamas control, and the tunnels in which they operated would be destroyed. At that time, the released terrorists would rearm and rejoin the battle. Just joking. I added the last item, but everyone knows it is true.

According to Israeli media, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was open to that option but faced a revolt inside his government and the military.

Two political sources confirmed to Ynet that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had considered allowing the terrorists to cross back, but a senior official later said that “this will not happen.” Netanyahu reportedly weighed the move in hopes of retrieving the remains of fallen soldiers and reinforcing Israel’s hold west of the line, though no final decision was made, according to three senior officials.

The revelation that Netanyahu considered such a deal drew anger from cabinet ministers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, as well as the family of Staff Sgt. Efi Feldbaum, who was killed last week in Rafah. “This is utter madness, Mr. Prime Minister. Stop it,” Smotrich wrote.

Following the backlash, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement denying he had ever considered the move: “The prime minister did not consider allowing the terrorists to cross; he stands by the framework as written.” The office also denied any “deal” with Hamas involving the release of prisoners in exchange for locating the remains of additional fallen soldiers.

In a bold move for an Israeli officer, "IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said Tuesday evening he would consider allowing the release of about 200 Hamas terrorists trapped in Rafah, only in exchange for the remains of fallen soldier Hadar Goldin, who has been held in Gaza since 2014."

In the meantime, Israel is moving full speed ahead on destroying the tunnel networks inside Gaza and the tunnels connecting Gaza to Egypt.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced on Friday that he has ordered the army to destroy and obliterate all Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip.

"If there are no tunnels, there will be no Hamas," Katz added in a tweet on his X account, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

If you really want to appreciate the fight against the tunnels, I encourage you to watch this interview with LTC (retired) John Spencer. The video is cued up to the segment on the difficulties in detecting and destroying tunnels.

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