Hamas rejects Israeli account of Gaza city police station strike

Hamas on Wednesday rejected Israeli claims that a strike on a police headquarters in Gaza City targeted members of the group’s armed wing, saying those killed were predominantly police officers and personnel.

According to Palestinian sources, nine people were killed and several others were wounded when Israeli forces struck the police facility on Wednesday afternoon. Hamas described the attack as a violation of the ceasefire agreement and accused the Israeli government of seeking to obstruct its implementation.

In its statement, Hamas said Israeli assertions that the strike targeted resistance leaders were “baseless,” arguing that the claims were being used to justify attacks on Gaza’s police force and civilians.

Israel, however, said the strike targeted Hamas field commanders and identified the head of Gaza’s women’s police force among those targeted. 

Hamas also linked the timing of the strike to recent diplomatic efforts involving mediators and guarantors of the Gaza agreement, including meetings with US envoy Jared Kushner.

The group accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of deliberately undermining those efforts and warned that continued strikes could derail negotiations over completing the roadmap and implementing subsequent phases of the ceasefire.

READ: 9 Palestinians killed, 15 injured by Israeli strike on Gaza police station