Talks Underway for Rafah Fighters to Disarm in Exchange for Safe Passage as Part of President Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan By The Media Line Staff Efforts are underway to remove the last group of Hamas terrorists trapped in the Israeli-held Rafah area of Gaza under a proposal that would see them surrender their weapons in […]
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The Media Line: Talks Underway for Rafah Fighters to Disarm in Exchange for Safe Passage as Part of President Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan
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Talks Underway for Rafah Fighters to Disarm in Exchange for Safe Passage as Part of President Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan
By The Media Line Staff
Efforts are underway to remove the last group of Hamas terrorists trapped in the Israeli-held Rafah area of Gaza under a proposal that would see them surrender their weapons in exchange for safe passage to other parts of the enclave, according to officials familiar with the negotiations.
Egyptian mediators have advanced the plan as a means of preserving the month-old ceasefire that began on October 10. Under the proposal, the fighters would hand over their weapons to Egyptian authorities and disclose the locations of remaining tunnel systems, which would then be destroyed. Both Israel and Hamas have yet to formally accept the terms, though discussions continue, sources said.
The Rafah enclave, captured by Israeli forces in the final phase of the war, remains one of the most volatile areas of the ceasefire. Two attacks on Israeli troops there last week killed three soldiers and prompted retaliatory fire that left dozens of Palestinians dead. Officials believe roughly 200 Hamas fighters remain in hiding, some of whom may not know the ceasefire is still in effect.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff described the situation as a “test case” for the broader process of disarming Hamas. Speaking at a business conference in Florida, he said the outcome in Rafah would “show whether these 200 fighters will raise their hands, walk out, and turn over their weapons,” adding that the deal could demonstrate how a demilitarization model might work across Gaza.
The current ceasefire forms the first stage of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war. The arrangement has already resulted in the release of the final 20 living hostages from the October 7 attacks in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, along with the withdrawal of Israeli troops from western Gaza.
The next stage of President Trump’s proposal envisions Hamas surrendering full control of Gaza, disbanding its armed units, and allowing a technocratic Palestinian administration—supported by international oversight and security forces—to govern.
Since the truce began, Hamas has returned the remains of 22 of 28 slain hostages and continues to locate others. Israel, in turn, has transferred 285 Palestinian bodies to Gaza authorities as part of ongoing humanitarian arrangements tied to the ceasefire.