The chief of Gaza’s Hamas-run police force, Mahmoud Salah, and his deputy, Hussam Shahwan, were killed overnight in an Israeli airstrike on a tent camp sheltering displaced families near Khan Younis. The Hamas-run interior ministry condemned the attack, labeling it an “assassination” of officials engaged in “humanitarian and national duty.”
The strike in al-Mawasi claimed the lives of nine other civilians, including three children and two women, according to local medics. Social media footage depicted the aftermath: blood-stained mattresses, destroyed tents, and grieving families. The al-Bardawil family lost three sons—Ahmed, Mohammed, and Abdul Rahman—aged seven, 11, and 13, as they slept in their tent. Their father, Walid al-Bardawil, recounted the harrowing moment: “I woke up to the sound of the explosion. I called my three sleeping sons, but no-one answered. They were martyred immediately.”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed targeting Shahwan, accusing him of aiding Hamas’s military wing in planning attacks on Israeli forces. The military asserted that efforts were made to mitigate civilian casualties but maintained that the police force facilitated “violent interrogations” and collaborated with Hamas operatives.
This latest strike comes amid escalating violence in Gaza, where more than 30 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the territory on Thursday. Six people died in a separate strike targeting Hamas operatives at the Gaza interior ministry’s headquarters in Khan Younis. The IDF described the site as a “control-and-command center embedded within the municipality building.”
The sandy strip of land in al-Mawasi had been declared a “humanitarian zone” by the IDF, meant to shelter hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by the 14-month conflict. However, the area has frequently been targeted, with Israel alleging that Hamas uses civilians as human shields.
Aida Zanoun, a resident of a neighboring tent, described the impact of the attack: “The explosion caused an earthquake in the neighborhood. When the morning came, we saw complete destruction. What have the children done to be hit?”
Conditions in makeshift camps have worsened due to recent cold and wet weather. Flooding from rain and sewage has submerged over 1,500 tents since Tuesday, leaving families without basic necessities. “Everything we had is gone,” said Moataz Abu Hatab, who described waking up to find his family’s tent submerged.
Israel’s ongoing campaign to dismantle Hamas began following the group’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Since then, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports over 45,580 deaths.
The conflict has heightened Gaza’s lawlessness, with Israel targeting police officers linked to Hamas governance. The Gaza interior ministry denounced the strikes, accusing Israel of “spreading chaos” and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
As the war persists, civilians bear the brunt of the devastation. International humanitarian groups continue to call for immediate measures to protect non-combatants and provide aid to the displaced population.
Chioma Kalu
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