Israeli official: PM won’t grant ‘safe passage for 200 terrorists’ trapped in Rafah, contrary to report

Following reports that Israel was considering granting terror operatives hiding in tunnels safe passage from the Israeli-controlled Rafah area to the Hamas-run zone in Gaza, an “Israeli official” says that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is not allowing safe passage for 200 Hamas terrorists.”

Channel 12 reported earlier today that Israel would approve the fighters’ safe passage if they agreed to give up their weapons. IDF sources said they would only be allowed to pass into Hamas-controlled territory if the terror group gives up more bodies of slain hostages.

“Mr. Prime Minister,” writes Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on X. “This is utter madness. Stop this.”

“The prime minister persists in his firm stance on the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Strip,” says the official, “while eliminating terrorist threats to our forces.”