Hamas calls for fighters to be allowed out of Gaza

THE Palestinian militant group Hamas called on mediating countries this week to pressure Israel to allow safe passage for dozens of its fighters holed up in tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip.

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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.

“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 Islamist group had publicly acknowledged that its members were trapped in the tunnels.