Hamas fighters trapped in tunnels present new obstacle to Gaza ceasefire progress

The mediators face a new obstacle in their efforts to advance negotiations on the fragile Gaza ceasefire deal to the next phase. Key sticking points remain unresolved, including Hamas's disarmament, the reconstruction and future governance of Gaza, and the deployment of an international security force to the territory.

Without a timeline for the discussions, which are likely to require significant concessions from both Israel and Hamas, there are doubts that any progress can be achieved.

Another challenge has emerged recently, involving scores of Hamas fighters believed to be in tunnels beneath the southern city of Rafah behind the so-called "Yellow Line", which marks the area under Israeli control.

Last week, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said an amnesty could be offered for fighters who laid down their arms, and that this could be a "model" for what Washington hoped to apply in the rest of Gaza.

Witkoff said 200 fighters were trapped, although this number has not been confirmed.

According to media reports, Kushner and the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, discussed the issue during a meeting in Jerusalem on Monday.

Hamas has previously said the fighters will not surrender and demanded that they are given safe passage, which has so far been rejected by Israel.

An Israeli government spokeswoman said Netanyahu and Kushner had "discussed phase one, which we are currently still in, to bring our remaining hostages, and the future of phase two of this plan, which includes the disarming of Hamas, demilitarising Gaza, and ensuring Hamas will have no role in the future of Gaza ever again".

However, any progress in Trump's ceasefire plan will not only require both sides to agree on issues that have foiled previous peacemaking efforts, but also to resolve the immediate stalemate over the trapped Hamas fighters.