UN reports ongoing Israeli strikes targeting Gaza police force amid ceasefire

What happened

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reports that Gaza’s police force and other public servants continue to be systematically targeted in Israeli drone and airstrikes since January 2026, leading to at least 12 attacks killing more than 53 civilians, including 35 police personnel. This pattern persists despite a nominal ceasefire agreed months earlier.

The central claim remains unconfirmed in the supplied material and should be treated as hearsay until corroborated by another reliable source or a named official. OHCHR highlights that police officers have been killed while performing non-combat duties like directing traffic and patrolling markets, suggesting that Israeli forces do not distinguish between police and armed fighters in Gaza. The UN spokesperson Mayy El Sheikh emphasized that such targeting of law enforcement personnel undermines peace and reconstruction efforts in the enclave.

The report details individual attacks, including an Israeli strike on a police checkpoint in Gaza City on 23 May killing at least five police officers along with civilians, a drone strike on 24 April west of Khan Younis killing four police workers and four civilians including a child, and an airstrike on 31 January at a police station in Gaza City that killed 11 people including law enforcement and a boy.

Known from the source

• OHCHR recorded at least 12 attacks against Gaza police since January 2026.
• These attacks have killed more than 53 civilians, including 35 police personnel, five boys, and one woman.
• Four attacks occurred in May 2026 alone, killing 12 police workers.
• Strike dates include 23 May at Al Tawam checkpoint, 24 April at Al Mawasi camp, and 31 January at Ash Sheikh Radwan Police Station.
• The nominal ceasefire has been in place for nearly eight months as of June 2026.

What remains unclear

Ajith Sunghay, OHCHR Head in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, noted that nearly eight months into the ceasefire, killings and turmoil continue unabated. Displacement remains severe, with more than 1.9 million Palestinians uprooted and 1.2 million homeless according to UN OCHA, while Israeli forces reportedly continue ground operations and demolition of Gaza’s built environment.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verification of casualty numbers and identities from independent sources. Confirmation that strikes were conducted by Israeli forces as attributed by OHCHR. Verification of claims about the non-distinction between police and armed groups in attacks.

Evidence note

This story contains report-led claims. The article keeps those claims attributed and treats them as unconfirmed/hearsay unless independently corroborated.

Original source: UN News Middle East Gaza. Open the source.