In brief
A drone‑guided shelling of a police station in the Jabalia district of Gaza has taken seven lives, including high‑ranking officer Col. Mohammed Marwan Salem. The military described the target as a Hamas co‑ordination centre, while local officials condemned the attack as a massacre. The incident comes amid a fragile ceasefire that has been punctuated by sporadic violence on both sides, with 1,110 Gaza residents killed since the conflict’s escalation in October 2023. International observers warn that such strikes fuel humanitarian crises and impede the prospects for a negotiated settlement. The strike highlights the continued military pressure exerted by Israel even as it publicly endorses a ceasefire.
A drone‑guided strike by the Israeli Defence Forces on a police post in the northern Gaza town of Jabalia killed seven people, including senior officer Col. Mohammed Marwan Salem, according to Gaza health and police officials.
Witnesses say the drone launched four missiles at a post situated next to a busy market area. The Israeli military identified the target as a Hamas security centre and confirmed that four “terrorists” were killed, of whom two were police officers. The rest of the casualties were presumed to be Hamas militants or police staff.
The injured were transported to Al‑Shifa hospital in Gaza City. In statements that follow a report by Reuters, the uncle of a deceased police officer stressed that his relative was acting in a civilian capacity when he was targeted, and questioned the military’s rationale for the strike.
Other Israeli attacks across the Strip on the same day included an air strike that killed an individual in Khan Younis and a gunfire incident that resulted in the death of a 10‑year‑old boy in Rafah. Local medics reported that the boy was shot while resting with his family, a tragedy highlighted by his aunt’s sorrowful appeal for end‑to‑end safety.
The fighting remains punctuated by accusations from both sides that ceasefire agreements are routinely violated. According to Gaza’s health ministry, 1,110 residents have been killed by Israeli strikes since the ceasefire took effect. Israel claims four of its soldiers have been lost to Gaza attacks. The broader conflict traces back to the Hamas assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which led to Israel’s ground invasion and a death toll in Gaza that exceeded 73,000 according to local records.
