JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

The Israeli army claimed to have killed 40 Hamas members who had been trapped in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, last week.

The army said in a statement late Sunday that it continued to intensify efforts to destroy the remaining tunnels in eastern Rafah to eliminate armed militants inside.

“Last week, more than 40 militants were eliminated inside the tunnels,” the statement said.

The Israeli army previously claimed to have killed and arrested other Hamas fighters in Rafah.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas on the army's claim.

According to Israeli media reports, there are around 200 Hamas fighters who are trapped inside underground tunnels in Rafah, and Tel Aviv has not yet responded to demands by Hamas and mediators to allow them safe passage to areas under the group’s control.

The city of Rafah lies within the yellow zone, an area still occupied by the Israeli army inside the Gaza Strip.

A ceasefire agreement mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye and backed by the US came into force on Oct. 10 between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Phase one of the ceasefire deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Israel has killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured nearly 171,000 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023.