Head of Hamas-led police force killed in Israeli air strike in northern Gaza
Brigadier-General Abdel-Nasser Al-Maqadma, head of the Hamas-led police force, was killed in an Israeli air strike on July 25 in northern Gaza; five other Palestinians died.
Brigadier-General Abdel-Nasser Al-Maqadma, who also served as governor of northern Gaza, was killed in a strike in the Sheikh Radwan district north of Gaza City on July 25, 2026, according to the Hamas-run interior ministry and local medical sources. The Israeli military said Al-Maqadma had links to Hamas’ armed wing, framing the attack as a strike on a militant commander. Medical workers and ministry officials reported five additional Palestinian deaths in separate strikes that day, and a policeman succumbed to wounds sustained in an earlier strike.
Senior Hamas police commander killed
Al-Maqadma’s death marks one of the highest-profile killings of a senior figure in the Hamas-led police force in recent months. The Hamas-run interior ministry named him and described the strike as a targeted assassination of a policing and administrative leader in northern Gaza. The Israeli military has publicly asserted that members of the force have operational ties to the group’s military wing and represent security threats.
Fatalities across Gaza reported by medics
Medics and the interior ministry reported that an emergency worker was killed in the Nuseirat refugee camp and two people died in a house strike in Khan Younis that Israel said targeted an Islamic Jihad operative. Relatives said a high school graduate, identified as Khaled Al-Breim, was killed while returning home with sweets to celebrate finishing school and preparing for university. Authorities also said a policeman who had been wounded in a prior strike died from his injuries on July 25.
Israeli military justification and statements
The Israeli military said the operation targeted figures it regards as militants or operational threats, and it characterized the strike that killed Al-Maqadma as aimed at a member of Hamas’ armed wing. Israeli officials have repeatedly argued that elements within Gaza’s police apparatus serve dual roles and on occasion take part in or facilitate attacks. The military did not provide battlefield footage or further operational detail in immediate public statements.
Hamas response and ceasefire accusations
Hamas condemned the killing and accused Israel of deliberately undermining Gaza’s security institutions by targeting the police leadership, calling the strike a violation of the ceasefire arrangements negotiated by outside mediators. Hamas says such attacks are intended to destabilize the enclave and erode any civilian governance structures. The group’s statement framed Al-Maqadma as a civil and security official rather than a combat commander.
Casualty figures and ceasefire context
Since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in October, Gaza health authorities say Israeli strikes have continued and reported more than 1,180 Palestinian deaths, most described as civilians, with the tally attributed to Gaza’s health ministry. Over the same interval, Israeli authorities have reported several military fatalities inside Gaza. Humanitarian agencies and rights groups have repeatedly warned about the toll of recurrent strikes on civilians and infrastructure in the densely populated territory.
Family accounts and civilian impact
Relatives of some victims described scenes of sudden loss and disrupted household life, with visits and family gatherings turning fatal amid the strikes. The killing of a young graduate preparing for university underscored the human cost reported by neighbours and medical staff, who said his death occurred while he moved among family members inside a home. Local health workers described mounting pressure on hospitals and emergency services as they manage casualties and limited resources.
The killings on July 25 deepen tensions in an already volatile Gaza Strip and are likely to shape short-term dynamics between Hamas, other armed groups and Israeli forces. Authorities on both sides offered contrasting narratives about targets and legitimacy, and independent verification of some details remains limited amid continuing hostilities and restricted access for international monitors.
