Gaza City police chief killed as Israel pushes on with deadly strikes | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Result in Deaths of Police Official and Civilian
Gaza City, Gaza Strip – August 13, 2026
An Israeli drone strike in Gaza City has resulted in the death of Colonel Jamal Abu Kamil, the head of the civil police force in the region, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Interior. The military strike occurred on al-Rashid Street, southwest of Gaza City, on Thursday, injuring two additional individuals in the attack.
Abu Kamil, aged 43, was reportedly killed when a drone fired multiple missiles at his vehicle. This incident follows a weeklong pause in airstrikes by Israel, which was lifted earlier this week.
The Israeli military stated that the operation was aimed at neutralizing a potential threat, alleging without evidence that Abu Kamil was a commander of Hamas. In response, Gaza’s police force denied these claims, asserting that Abu Kamil was dedicated to his police duties and had no connections to militant activities. The Ministry of Interior characterized the attack as an assassination.
Hamas condemned the killing, describing it as part of the “brutal crimes” perpetrated by the Israeli occupation and as an effort to instigate chaos within Gaza.
In a separate attack on Thursday, a drone strike in Khan Younis targeted a motorcycle carrying two individuals, resulting in the death of one person identified as Huthaifa Kawari. Another person was critically injured, according to officials at Nasser Hospital in Gaza. The Israeli military claimed that this strike was also aimed at a Hamas commander, but did not provide substantiation for the assertion.
Earlier in the week, Israeli airstrikes resumed for the first time since August 3, resulting in casualties, including a municipal worker. These strikes resumed after a brief hiatus that followed negotiations involving U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 15-point plan, which calls for both Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and disarmament of Hamas.
While Hamas expressed acceptance of the proposal to prevent a full-scale war, it indicated that the plan’s success hinged on an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a cessation of attacks. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the agreement, insisting that military operations would continue until Hamas was disarmed.
Since the resumption of strikes following the so-called ceasefire on October 10, 2025, more than 1,250 Palestinians have reportedly lost their lives, as noted by Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
In response to the ongoing violence, Palestine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for the implementation of the U.S.-backed Gaza Peace Plan and condemned recent attacks by Israeli forces against Palestinians, as well as continued violence by settlers in the occupied West Bank.
This report will be updated as more information becomes available.
