Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) states that Gaza’s public servants, particularly police personnel, have been systematically targeted in Israeli drone and airstrikes since January 2026. These attacks have killed over 53 civilians, including 35 police officers, five boys, and one woman, according to OHCHR spokesperson Mayy El Sheikh. The strikes have targeted law enforcement officials while performing duties such as directing traffic and patrolling populated areas, raising concerns about the collapse of civic and public order in Gaza since the conflict escalated on 7 October 2023.
OHCHR emphasized that Israel, as the occupying power, is obligated under international law to maintain civic and public order for Palestinians in the territory. Targeting police personnel not engaged in hostilities could violate these obligations and potentially amount to war crimes. The office noted that Israeli forces appear not to distinguish between regular police officers and members of armed groups in Gaza.
Notable incidents include a 23 May strike on a police checkpoint in Gaza City that killed at least five police officers and two others, including a child; a 24 April drone strike on a police vehicle in Khan Younis killing four police workers and four civilians, including a nine-year-old boy; and a 31 January airstrike on Ash Sheikh Radwan Police Station in Gaza City that killed 11 people, including five police officers and a boy. In May alone, four such attacks resulted in 12 police worker deaths.
The ongoing conflict has led to a severe humanitarian crisis. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that more than 1.9 million Palestinians—out of 2.4 million in Gaza—have been displaced, with over 1.2 million losing their homes. Despite a nominal ceasefire, violence and displacement continue, and Israeli displacement orders and destruction persist.