Gaza police strike highlights security vacuum and aid risks

An Israeli airstrike has killed at least five police officers and a 13-year-old boy at a police post in the at-Twam area of northern Gaza, according to Gaza police. The attack, which involved two missiles hitting the facility, also resulted in the death of one civilian and left ten others wounded. Al Jazeera reporter Hani Mahmoud confirmed that the officers were killed on the spot, with sources at al-Shifa Hospital verifying the additional civilian casualty.

Gaza police described the incident as part of a deliberate pattern by the Israeli military to target law enforcement structures, local security personnel, and civilian order. The directorate warned that these strikes contribute to a power vacuum that increases the risk of aid convoy hijacking and looting, further complicating distribution efforts in an enclave already facing a severe humanitarian crisis.

The incident occurs despite a ceasefire that has been in place since 10 October 2025. Since the war began on 7 October 2023 following the Hamas attack, the death toll has reached at least 72,775. Since the ceasefire took effect, 883 people have been killed, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting that bodies of eight Palestinians and 29 wounded individuals arrived at hospitals in the past 48 hours alone.

The 10,000-strong Gaza police force has become a contentious issue in negotiations regarding US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza. Gaza police stated that the ongoing military operations are part of an effort to dismantle remaining civilian order, making it increasingly difficult to secure aid convoys for areas most in need.

Concurrently, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported a surge in skin infections among Palestinian children due to pests such as rats, lice, fleas, and mites. Health teams are currently able to treat only about 40 percent of cases due to shortages of basic medicines, leaving many children without necessary treatment.