Israeli military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah took a dramatic turn on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, as soldiers pressed forward with efforts to dismantle tunnels believed to be sheltering hundreds of Hamas operatives. The day was marked by a series of deadly encounters, high-stakes political maneuvering, and renewed international pressure over the fate of approximately 200 Hamas fighters now trapped beneath the war-torn enclave, according to reports from AP and Ynet.
Israeli forces, operating in the Jenina neighborhood of Rafah—an area under their operational control—identified four armed militants on the eastern side of what is known as the "yellow line." In a rapid maneuver, coordinated with the Israeli Air Force, Golani Brigade troops struck and killed three of the militants. The military reported no Israeli casualties in the incident. Elsewhere in Gaza, Israeli forces killed another militant who crossed the yellow line near Khan Younis and posed what the army described as an "immediate threat." In total, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said about ten terrorists were killed across Gaza during the day’s operations.
These actions unfolded against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire that has largely held since October 10, 2025, following months of intense fighting between Israel and Hamas. The truce, brokered by the United States, has led to the release of all 20 living hostages from Gaza and the return of the remains of 24 deceased captives. However, the bodies of four hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, underscoring the ongoing human cost of the conflict. Since the ceasefire began, at least 245 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which is administered by Hamas. The Israeli military, for its part, has lost three soldiers during the same period.
The focus of current operations is the destruction of an elaborate tunnel network beneath Rafah, which Israeli intelligence believes has served as both a sanctuary and operational base for Hamas fighters. The tunnels have long been a source of contention, with Israeli officials insisting that their elimination is critical to preventing future attacks. "The IDF Southern Command is deployed across the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to act to remove any immediate threat," the military said in a statement published by Ynet.
But the military dimension is only part of the story. The fate of roughly 200 Hamas operatives trapped in the Rafah tunnels has become a flashpoint in diplomatic negotiations and internal Israeli politics. According to a senior member of Israel’s Security Cabinet, a compromise had been reached between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jared Kushner, the U.S. envoy and son-in-law of former President Donald Trump. The deal would allow the trapped terrorists to go into exile without harm, but no country—including Turkey or Qatar—has agreed to accept them. Under Trump’s original proposal, any amnesty would be contingent on the militants surrendering their weapons, renouncing terrorism, and the return of all hostages and the remains of fallen Israeli soldiers.
Hamas, meanwhile, has demanded that the 200 operatives be released to the Palestinian side of the yellow line. They are part of a larger group—hundreds, possibly thousands—of civilians and fighters stranded between the Israeli border and the Phase A withdrawal line established by the ceasefire. According to Ynet, similar concentrations of Hamas fighters remain in the Bani Suhaila enclave near Khan Younis and in other pockets still under Israeli control.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has reportedly recommended a hardline approach: eliminating all remaining terrorists and continuing to locate and destroy tunnels in both Rafah and Khan Younis. However, Hamas has floated an alternative, offering to help locate and return additional bodies of fallen Israeli soldiers in exchange for safe passage for the 200 trapped operatives. Prime Minister Netanyahu initially considered this proposal but withdrew in the face of criticism and threats from within his governing coalition. Zamir told the Security Cabinet last Thursday that there was no “chief of staff deal” involving the 200 terrorists, a position he reaffirmed two days after suggesting he would consider their release only in exchange for the body of Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was recently returned to Israel and laid to rest.
The return of Goldin’s body on November 10, 2025, after 4,118 days in Hamas captivity, marked a poignant moment in the conflict and, according to U.S. officials cited by Ynet, may give Netanyahu more political and public leeway to consider a negotiated solution for the trapped terrorists. Yet, sources close to the prime minister have clarified, "he has made no commitment to the Americans to release the Rafah terrorists." Washington, for its part, is pressing Israel to allow “safe passage” for the 200, with one possible solution under discussion involving their surrender, disarmament, and subsequent amnesty or exile. "Given the U.S. pressure, it’s hard to believe we’ll eliminate them. The expectation is that this will be resolved through some kind of agreement," an Israeli official told Ynet.
Despite the ceasefire, violence continues to flare. Since October 10, Israeli forces have killed at least 245 Palestinians, and the military has lost three soldiers—grim reminders that the truce remains precarious. Both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the agreement. The ongoing military operations risk further destabilizing the situation, as each new incident threatens to unravel the delicate balance achieved by the truce.
International actors, particularly the United States, are watching closely. The Biden administration has made clear its desire for a diplomatic solution that would see the remaining militants disarmed and the tunnels destroyed, while also addressing humanitarian concerns. However, the lack of a willing third country to accept the exiled fighters has complicated negotiations. Meanwhile, hardliners within the Israeli government remain staunchly opposed to any deal that could be seen as capitulating to Hamas, arguing that it would only embolden the group and undermine Israeli security.
On the ground in Rafah and Khan Younis, Israeli troops continue their painstaking work to locate and dismantle tunnels, even as they confront the ever-present risk of ambushes and close-quarters combat. The military’s stated goal is to eliminate any immediate threat, but the broader challenge—balancing security, diplomacy, and humanitarian considerations—remains as complex as ever.
As the situation evolves, the world’s attention is fixed on Rafah, where the fate of 200 trapped militants, the integrity of the ceasefire, and the prospects for lasting peace all hang in the balance. For now, the tunnels remain, the hostages’ stories linger, and the future of Gaza is as uncertain as ever.