Israel’s military has killed three Palestinian police officers near the southern Gaza city of Rafah in a “treacherous” drone attack which Hamas says is a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement.
The Gaza Interior Ministry said in a statement that the drone attack targeted officers securing the delivery of aid trucks coming from the Karem Abu Salem crossing to the main road leading to the southern Gaza city.
Previous reports said two police officers were killed and one was critically wounded. According to an updated statement, the third officer later succumbed to his wounds.
In a statement, Hamas said it "condemns this crime and calls upon the mediators and the international community to compel the occupation to stop targeting the police force, which is a civil apparatus.”
It said that the regime’s hesitation in starting negotiations to implement the second phase of the ceasefire confirms its lack of seriousness in adhering to the agreement.
The resistance group warned last week that it could delay the release of Israeli captives, since the regime’s military has violated the ceasefire deal, by carrying out deadly shootings, blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid and inhibiting Palestinians' passage to northern Gaza.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is scheduled to release three Israeli captives each Saturday. During the first 42-day phase of the agreement, 33 Israeli captives are to be released in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian abductees.