Israeli army strikes Gaza, takes bodies of nine Hamas fighters trapped in tunnels

Israeli forces have continued to bomb Gaza as Hamas carries out its search for the bodies of two Israeli captives - a matter that Israel has used to delay the implementation of the ceasefire's second phase.

On Friday morning, an Israeli drone killed a Palestinian man in the town of Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Israeli warplanes and warships also carried out strikes on parts of Khan Younis and Rafah.

Hamas is yet to locate the bodies of Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak and Israeli soldier St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili.

Sources from both Hamas and the Israeli military told news outlets that searches are being carried out by Hamas' armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, and the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said it had discovered the bodies of nine Qassam Brigades members who were among the dozens trapped in tunnels under parts of eastern Rafah now under Israeli control. The army alleged that the fighters were killed by Israeli attacks on the area.

The latest announcement brings the death toll from the trapped Qassam Brigades fighters to more than 30, with dozens more believed to be still trapped in the tunnels.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassam accused Israel of thwarting efforts to resolve the issue of the trapped Palestinians, accusing Tel Aviv of attempting to avoid the terms of the ceasefire agreement signed in Egypt.

An unnamed senior Hamas official on Thursday told AFP that the group believes there are between 60 - 80 of its fighters "under siege" in the tunnels.

"Discussions and communications with the mediators (Egypt, Turkey and Qatar) and the Americans are ongoing in an effort to resolve the crisis," the Hamas leader said.

Another source from one of the mediating countries told the news agency that the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey have been discussing "with the aim of reaching a compromise that would allow Hamas fighters to leave the tunnels behind the Yellow Line near Rafah".

"The current proposal would grant them safe passage to areas not under Israeli control, helping to ensure this does not become a friction point that leads to further violations or the collapse of the ceasefire," the source added.

Israel, however, has said that the Hamas members must surrender or be killed by the army.