Hamas seeks asylum abroad for gunmen trapped in Rafah tunnels; request rejected by multiple countries — report

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24 November 2025, 8:50 pm 3 Edit

Hamas operatives search for the bodies of Israeli hostages in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City, November 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Over the past week, Hamas has reached out to several countries seeking asylum for 100-200 of its fighters trapped in tunnels beneath Rafah in an IDF area of Gaza, but all the requests were rejected, Channel 12 reports, citing Israeli officials.

The countries reportedly approached included Turkey and several unspecified African nations. According to the report, the requests were made with Israel’s knowledge.

Under the 20-point peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump and endorsed by Israel, Hamas is required to disarm and relinquish control of the Gaza Strip. While the plan includes a mechanism for safe passage out of Gaza for operatives who opt to depart, no country so far has signaled willingness to receive them.