Tensions Rise: Hamas Officer Assassinated by Israeli-Backed Militia

An Israeli-backed Palestinian militia claimed responsibility for the assassination of a senior Hamas police officer in Gaza, attributing the attack to 'Israeli collaborators.' The incident highlights the emergence of armed anti-Hamas groups, adding complexity to Gaza's unstable political landscape and ongoing violence between factions.

A senior Hamas police officer was killed in the southern Gaza Strip by an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia, an incident that Hamas has attributed to 'Israeli collaborators.'

Hamas's interior ministry announced that Mahmoud Al-Astal was shot from a passing car in Khan Younis, and the attackers were labeled as collaborators.

This assassination underscored the rise of anti-Hamas groups, which remain unpopular locally and challenge stability efforts in Gaza, now divided after two years of conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)