GAZA CITY: Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed two people, including a senior police officer, on Thursday, according to health officials, marking the second consecutive day of Israeli bombardment following a brief lull linked to a US-led peace initiative.
The Israeli military said one of its strikes targeted a Hamas commander in the Khan Yunis area, claiming that he had been involved in planning attacks against Israeli troops.
The latest strikes have raised fresh concerns about the fragile situation in the Palestinian territory, where hopes for a sustained pause in hostilities remain uncertain amid continued diplomatic efforts to advance a peace agreement.
“The terrorist was struck in an aerial strike in order to remove the threat to IDF troops,” the military said, adding that “steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians.”
Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates as a rescue service, said an airstrike west of Khan Yunis killed one person, with the city’s Nasser Hospital confirming the arrival of a body following the attack.
In a separate incident in Gaza City, the Civil Defence authorities reported that one person was killed and several others were injured when an Israeli airstrike struck a vehicle in the Sheikh Ajlin neighbourhood.
Gaza City’s police governor killed in Israeli strike
Al-Shifa Hospital confirmed that it had received the body of Jamal Abu Kamil, who served as Gaza City’s police governor. The Palestinian territory’s Interior Ministry said Abu Kamil was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting his vehicle on Al-Rashid Street, southwest of Gaza City.
The Israeli military said it was reviewing the reports and had not immediately provided further details. Israel carried out its first airstrike in the area on Wednesday since August 3, ending a temporary pause in aerial bombardments.
The lull followed US President Donald Trump’s announcement of what he described as a “major milestone” in his efforts to bring an end to the war.
As part of the proposed peace framework, Hamas had announced plans to disarm by transferring its weapons to a newly established Palestinian governing committee.
Trump’s “Board of Peace”, which was tasked with overseeing implementation of the proposed ceasefire agreement, had initially said Israel would begin a phased withdrawal from large parts of the Palestinian territory in return.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected the proposed arrangement on Sunday, ruling out an Israeli withdrawal even after the Board of Peace sought to reassure him that Israeli forces would not be required to withdraw until Hamas had fully disarmed.
Also Read: UN Warns Israeli Attacks Continue To Endanger Palestinians In Gaza
Israeli strikes in Palestinian territory have killed 1,260 Palestinians since the ceasefire, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Israel has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and wounded over 174,000 since October 2023. The conflict has caused widespread destruction across the enclave, with UN assessments indicating that around 90% of civilian infrastructure has been affected. Reconstruction costs have been estimated at $70 billion.
