The Palestinian militant group Hamas called on mediating countries to pressure Israel to allow safe passage for dozens of its fighters holed up in tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip.
The request came after the Israeli military said it killed over 20 Hamas members over the past week "who attempted to flee from the underground terror infrastructure in the area", and apprehended eight more, AFP reported.
"We hold (Israel) fully responsible for the lives of our fighters and call upon our mediators to take immediate action to pressure (Israel) to allow our sons to return home," Hamas said in a statement.
It was the first time the group had publicly acknowledged that its members were trapped in the tunnels.
Israeli media has reported that for weeks, between 100 and 200 Hamas militants have remained trapped in a network of tunnels under the city of Rafah, in an area of the Gaza Strip under Israeli military control.
Under the terms of a US-brokered ceasefire that entered into force on October 10, the Israeli army withdrew from coastal parts of the Palestinian territory to a so-called "yellow line" which marks the area under Israeli control.
Earlier this month, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff alluded during a business conference in Miami to the "200 fighters who are trapped in Rafah" and said that their surrender, including turning over their weapons, could be a "test" for both parties in the ceasefire, Israel and Hamas.
However, Israel does not appear to be willing to compromise on their safe release from the tunnel.
An Israeli government spokesperson told AFP earlier this month that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "is not allowing safe passage for 200 Hamas terrorists" and that he "remains firm in his position to dismantle Hamas's military capabilities and demilitarise the Gaza Strip".
In its statement, Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement through the "pursuit, liquidation and arrest of resistance fighters besieged in the tunnels of Rafah".
