JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL 

The Israeli army said Wednesday that it struck six Palestinians in southern Gaza after allegedly exiting from an underground tunnel in Rafah.

A military statement said that six people were hit in eastern Rafah, after they “most likely emerged” from an underground infrastructure in the area.

The army claimed that one person was killed and three others were injured in the strike, while two others were detained.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas on the Israeli claim.

According to Israeli media, nearly 200 Hamas fighters are trapped in underground tunnels in Rafah, which lies inside areas still occupied by Israeli troops as part of the “yellow line” arrangements under the ceasefire deal that took effect on Oct. 10.

Tel Aviv has not responded to demands from the Palestinian group and mediators to allow them safe passage to areas not controlled by Israel inside Gaza.

Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed nearly 70,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, and injured 171,000 others in a brutal war that has left much of the enclave in ruins.