Two Hamas police officers killed in Deir al-Balah — Asharq Al-Awsat

In Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, armed men killed two police officers linked to the Hamas administration and wounded several others during an operation to detain a wanted person. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the attackers fled after the shooting.

Escape to areas controlled by armed groups

According to the publication's field sources, within several hours of the incident it became known that the attackers had headed to areas east of Deir al-Balah where armed groups operate. The sources claim that such areas, mostly located in territories under Israeli military control that make up approximately 70% of the enclave, have become a refuge for people wanted for criminal offenses.

During the October 26 incident, police officers tried to ambush the wanted person, but he opened fire. Other armed men joined the shooting. The Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry said it was searching for those involved and continuing measures to maintain security in the Gaza Strip.

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According to sources, some participants in the attack returned the following day to Hamas-controlled areas, barricaded themselves in a house and gathered armed relatives. Mediators tried to persuade the wanted individuals to surrender, but no agreement was reached. The families of the slain police officers demanded that those responsible be punished as soon as possible.

Attacks on police and civilians

The publication also reports that on Sunday, an Israeli drone attacked police officers south of Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis. According to Gaza's Interior Ministry, five police officers were killed, including Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed al-Jamal and Major Bassam Mikdad, while six other people, including civilians, were wounded.

Separately, three Palestinians, including a man and his child, were killed in an airstrike in the Al-Rimal area in western Gaza City, according to Asharq Al-Awsat. The enclave's Health Ministry said that since the beginning of the ceasefire in October 2025, more than 1,585 Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,700 wounded in the Gaza Strip.