The Israeli Chief of Staff has conditioned the release of approximately two hundred Palestinian fighters from Rafah on Hamas returning the remains of an officer held since 2014

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir stated on Tuesday that the killing of approximately 200 Palestinian fighters trapped in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, is contingent upon Hamas handing over the remains of an officer it has held since 2014.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported: “Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir announced this evening his willingness to consider releasing about 200 terrorists trapped in Rafah in exchange for the slain kidnapper Hadar Goldin”.

Goldin was killed in a battle in Rafah, during Operation Protective Edge in Gaza in July and August 2014, and that Hamas is holding his remains.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, there are about 200 Palestinian fighters trapped in a tunnel behind the yellow line, in Israeli-controlled territory, since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10.

Zamir said, “If Hamas doesn’t agree to a deal, the terrorists will not leave there alive”.

Hamas captured Goldin in Rafah in 2014 and has not provided any information about him to this day.

Hamas and Israel are currently carrying out a prisoner exchange as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile, Israeli Channel 12 reported on Tuesday that the political leadership is still hesitant about how to deal with the approximately 200 militants trapped in Rafah.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Chief of Staff made it clear to the political leadership in recent days that: “No terrorist will leave Rafah alive… I can consider releasing them on one condition, which is the return of Hadar Goldin”.

On Monday, the same channel reported that Israel is considering allowing the fighters trapped in Rafah to cross the yellow line into an area controlled by Hamas, in exchange for disarming them.

This sparked outrage in political circles, and in the end the Prime Minister’s office announced that Benjamin Netanyahu had decided to keep them within the area under Israeli control.

The Maariv newspaper reported on Monday evening that the Israeli army had begun pumping concrete and bringing explosives into the tunnel where Palestinian fighters are located inside the yellow line.

The yellow line separates the areas where the Israeli army is still present on its eastern side, and the areas where Palestinians are allowed to move within it on its western side.