At least seven individuals, including a high-ranking officer, lost their lives after an Israeli air strike hit a Hamas-operated police facility in northern Gaza. Local witnesses reported that an Israeli drone launched four missiles at the site, which was located close to a crowded market in the Jabalia district. The interior ministry for the Hamas-led administration identified one of the deceased as Col. Mohammed Marwan Salem, the head of the local station, labeling the operation a massacre.
Israeli military representatives confirmed an operation in that sector, stating that their forces were targeting militants. Separately, in southern Gaza, two additional deaths were reported on Tuesday. Medical personnel told Reuters that an air strike in Khan Younis resulted in one man’s death and left three others wounded, an act the Israeli military described as an strike against a Hamas operative. Furthermore, medics confirmed that 10-year-old Muataz Abu Shaar was fatally shot in Rafah, an incident for which the Israeli military has provided no comment.
These events occur against the backdrop of persistent, near-daily accusations between Israel and Hamas regarding violations of a ceasefire established last October. Statistics provided by Gaza health authorities suggest that over 1,110 people have died due to Israeli fire since the agreement began, while the Israeli military reports the loss of four soldiers in Palestinian-led attacks. The broader conflict began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack on southern Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 people taken hostage. Official figures from the Gaza health ministry indicate that the subsequent Israeli military campaign has resulted in more than 73,230 fatalities.