Israeli strikes killed at least 10 Palestinians in two separate attacks on August 19, 2026, targeting a police station in Gaza City and the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to multiple reports [1, 2, 3]. The victims included Gaza City police officers, among them the newly appointed police chief and the director of a women’s police force [1, 2]. Another 25 Palestinians were wounded in the strikes over the 24-hour period covering August 19-20, the Gaza Health Ministry reported [4, 3].
The Israeli military said it targeted Hamas commanders in the Nuseirat and Tuffah areas but did not provide evidence for the claim [1]. Hamas strongly rejected the accusations, calling them baseless and false allegations intended to justify aggression and cover deliberate strikes on civilians and police personnel. Hamas labeled the attacks “a new war crime,” while Gaza’s Interior and National Security Ministry described the strike on the municipal police station as a “new brutal massacre.” The ministry added that Israel is aiming to “disable the police force to spread chaos within Palestinian society” [1, 2].
The Gaza Health Ministry stated that some victims remain trapped under rubble, with ambulances and civil defense crews unable to reach them due to ongoing destruction [4, 5, 3]. The strikes have caused widespread damage, with about 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure reported destroyed, and the UN estimates reconstruction costs at $70 billion [4, 5, 3].
These strikes come amid ongoing ceasefire violations by Israel since October 2025, which the Gaza Health Ministry attributes to more than 1,283 Palestinian deaths and 4,248 injuries [4, 2, 3]. The overall death toll from Israeli actions in Gaza since October 2023 has reached 73,417 Palestinians killed and 174,360 wounded [4, 3].
Israeli attacks on August 18 killed 7 Palestinians and wounded 23, according to UN reports, showing continuing violence despite ceasefire [5]. Diplomatic efforts, including a recent visit by Jared Kushner, have failed to make progress as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu rejects withdrawing from the Gaza Strip [1].
