An Israeli-backed Palestinian militia has claimed responsibility for the killing of a senior Hamas police officer in the southern Gaza Strip. The incident occurred on March 4, 2024, when gunmen opened fire from a passing vehicle, fatally wounding Mahmoud Al-Astal, who headed the criminal police unit in Khan Younis. Hamas officials have accused “Israeli collaborators” of orchestrating the attack.
According to a statement from the Hamas-run interior ministry, the assailants targeted Al-Astal in a premeditated attack. Hussam Al-Astal, leader of an anti-Hamas group operating from an area under Israeli control east of Khan Younis, publicly acknowledged responsibility for the shooting. In a video posted on his Facebook page, he threatened those collaborating with Hamas, stating, “To those who work with Hamas, your destiny is to be killed. Death is coming to you.” He was dressed in military-style attire and holding an assault rifle during the announcement.
The circumstances of the attack remain unverified by independent sources. An Israeli military official reported that the army was unaware of any operations in the vicinity at that time. The emergence of armed anti-Hamas groups, although limited in size and scope, has intensified pressure on Hamas and may hinder efforts to stabilize and unify a Gaza severely affected by ongoing conflict.
While these groups operate in areas under Israeli control, they have not gained significant support among the local population. Hamas has previously conducted public executions of individuals it accuses of collaboration, further complicating the already tense atmosphere in Gaza.
Since a ceasefire was established on October 18, 2023, Israel has withdrawn its forces from nearly half of the Gaza Strip. However, it retains control over the remaining areas, which have been largely devastated, with most structures destroyed. Almost all of Gaza’s two million residents now reside in Hamas-controlled regions, often in temporary shelters or damaged buildings, where the group has been reaffirming its authority.
Despite suffering significant losses, Hamas reportedly maintains a fighting force of thousands. Israeli authorities have allowed rival factions to operate in regions under their control, reflecting a complex and shifting power dynamic.
Internationally, former US President Donald Trump‘s proposed plan for Gaza includes provisions for further Israeli withdrawal and an eventual transfer of power from Hamas to a government backed by the international community. Progress on these proposals remains elusive.
While the ceasefire has curtailed major hostilities in Gaza for the past three months, both Hamas and Israeli forces have accused one another of violations. The ongoing conflict has resulted in more than 440 Palestinian deaths and three Israeli soldiers killed since the truce took effect. On the same day as Al-Astal’s assassination, Gaza health authorities reported that Israeli drone strikes killed at least three individuals near Khan Younis, whom the Israeli military identified as militants posing a threat.
The conflict escalated significantly on October 7, 2023, when Gazan militants launched an attack into Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and the abduction of around 250 individuals, as reported by Israeli sources. The subsequent military response from Israel has led to over 71,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza health ministry, prompting allegations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel categorically denies.
The situation in Gaza remains volatile, with the recent assassination underscoring the precarious balance of power among factions vying for control in a region marked by prolonged conflict and suffering.
