Eliminated
Hamas Police Commander Killed in Khan Younis Shooting
Hamas police commander Mahmoud al-Astal killed in shooting attack on his vehicle in Khan Younis. Gaza Interior Ministry blames "Israeli agents" as unidentified gunmen flee scene after opening fire Monday morning.
Hamas's Interior Ministry announced Monday that Mahmoud al-Astal, commander of the investigations department in the Khan Younis police force, was killed in a shooting attack on his vehicle early this morning.
According to the Gaza police statement, "unidentified gunmen" opened fire on al-Astal's vehicle from another car before fleeing the scene. Al-Astal held a rank equivalent to deputy commissioner in the Hamas police structure.
The Interior Ministry claimed the assassination was carried out by "agents of the occupation," and that "security authorities are working to track down the criminals."
Husam al-Astal, commander of an anti-Hamas militia operating in Khan Younis, has claimed responsibility for the assassination.
In a statement, Husam al-Astal declared: "He is cursed in hell. This person killed people in recent days. We are ready, the turn of anyone from Hamas who comes near us will come."
The brazen claim marks an escalation in internal Gaza power struggles, with local militia forces openly challenging Hamas authority
The killing comes days after IDF forces struck multiple terror targets across southern and northern Gaza over the weekend, in response to a failed rocket launch from Gaza City toward Israel last week. The strikes eliminated several Hamas terrorists and operatives from other terror organizations, and targeted terror infrastructure on a wide scale.