May 23 (Reuters) – An Israeli air strike targeting a Palestinian police post in northern Gaza killed at least five officers on Saturday and wounded others, Gaza police said, as Israel steps up attacks on the Hamas-run force.
In a statement, the Gaza police directorate, charged with maintaining security in areas of Gaza that fell under Hamas control following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in October, said two missiles had hit a police post in the Tawam area.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hamas’ nearly 10,000 police officers have emerged as a sticking point in talks to advance U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza. Hamas wants them included in a new police force envisaged under the plan. Israel objects to the involvement of any officers with Hamas affiliations.
Those talks have also been deadlocked over Hamas’ refusal to lay down its weapons, as well as near-daily Israeli attacks in the enclave, which health officials say have killed more than 880 Palestinians since the truce. At least four Israeli soldiers have been killed in militant attacks over the same period.
(Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Nidal Al Mughrabi; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
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