On the afternoon of Sunday, March 15th, 2026, a declared Israeli airstrike targeted a police jeep travelling on Salah al-Din Street near the entrance to the town of al-Zawayda in the central Gaza Strip. Local sources and the Gaza Ministry of Interior reported that eight police officers and one other young man were killed and others injured in the strike. A ninth police officer was killed and has been identified as a militant.
Named casualties reported by sources included: 48-year-old Colonel and director of the Intervention Police in the Central Governorate, Iyad Tawfiq Salama Abu Yusuf, 27-year-old first sergeant, Abdul Rahman Munir Muhammad al-Amsi, 26-year-old first sergeant, Rami Ibrahim Mahmoud Harb, 26-year-old sergeant, Youssef Muhammad Youssef Mustafa (also referred to by the sources as Youssef Faraj Mait), 39-year-old soldier, Wissam Akram Ali al-Hafi, 34-year-old soldier, Fathi Raafat Ibrahim Awida, 23-year-old soldier, Abdullah Hussam Hassan Badwan, and two assistants: 23-year-old Musab Ziad Ali al-Durra (a militant), and 25-year-old Tawfiq Azmi Tawfiq al-Khalidi.
One additional individual, 22-year-old Osama Salah Abdel-Hadi Matar, was reported killed in the same incident, but he was not related to the police.
Facebook user Mhamed Khouya reported that a child, Saeed Hasaballah, and his parents were among those injured.
The ages of victims have been found by cross-checking names against lists of fatalities shared online by Genocide in Gaza, which has a list of “martyrs” of Israeli forces.
Local sources described the majority of the victims as police officers performing security duties.
The Israeli military acknowledged the strike. In a statement posted on X, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated that Israeli forces had “eliminated a Hamas cell planning attacks”, and named several individuals, including Rami Ibrahim Harb, Musab Ziad al-Durra, Abdul Rahman Munir al-Amsi, and Tawfiq Azmi al-Khalidi, as affiliated with armed groups, along with other three “terrorists.”
Airwars does not consider accusations of militancy made solely by the belligerent responsible as sufficient evidence of combatant status. In this case, while the Israeli military alleged that several of those killed were affiliated with armed groups, other sources described the victims as police personnel.
Shehab Agency, quoting Hamas, described Iyad Abu Yousef as a Colonel with the police force, the “director of the Intervention Police in the Central Governorate” and reported that the eight others killed were “other police officers and personnel.”
Mhamed Khouya reported that both Abdul Rahman Munir al-Amsi and Rami Ibrahim Harb were First Sergeants, while Yousef Mohammed Mustafa was a Sergeant, Abdullah Hussam Badwan, Wissam Akram al-Hafi and Fathi Raafat Awida were described as “Private.” Musab Ziad al-Dharra and Tawfiq Azmi al-Khaldi were described as Assistants.
In its statement, the Ministry of Interior and National Security in Gaza confirmed the “heinous crime committed by the Israeli occupation on Sunday afternoon, when it targeted a police vehicle carrying several officers and personnel in the central Gaza.” The Ministry added that Israel targeted them while they were “performing their duties monitoring markets and maintaining security and public order during the holy month of Ramadan.” The Ministry also noted that the repeated Israeli attacks targeting police facilities and striking police officers and personnel “constitute a war crime and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, as police facilities are civilian protection institutions safeguarded under international law and must not be targeted.”
Social media posts from relatives and friends confirmed the deaths and mourned the victims, describing them as family members and members of the local community, and sharing tributes following their deaths.
Osama Salah Matar was described by source “Beach Today” as a “son of the [Jabalia] camp” and pictured with a young girl, possibly his daughter, both smiling at the camera. Ahmed Mohammed Awaja asked that God “have mercy” on him and grant his surviving family “patience and solace.” A funeral was held for Osama the following day, according to “Echo of the Beach Camp” who asked that well-wishers remember Osama “in [their] prayers.” Karam El Rabaya bid goodbye to his friend, writing: “May God have mercy on you, my dear friend. Farewell, companion on this journey.”
Abo Maneer, speaking of his friend Abdul Rahman, wrote: “How can I mourn you? My soul left with you, and the world turned dark for us, my brother.” Remembering Abdul Rahman as “kind-hearted,” he asked that “God be with” him.
Similarly, @ShaharZad, Wissam al-Hafi’s cousin, announced his death, asking that “God have mercy on you, Wissam, accept you, and be pleased with you.” Khalil Abu Halawa, writing on behalf of the Abu Halawa family – likely Wissam’s extended family – wrote that the family “mourns its righteous son.” He included a collage of Wissam: in one he wears black, another red, and in the third, he leans back. Hafez Abu Halawa described Wissam as a “heroic fighter,” but did not include any references to specific armed groups. It is possible this reference was due to Wissam’s role in the police force.
Fathi Awida was remembered as a “beloved and dear friend” and a cherished member of Al-Maghazi camp. Source Samer Aslan included a photograph of Fathi wearing black, standing in front of foliage. Waleed Khaled Massri wrote that with his death, Fathi was “a martyr with God” and asked that he be accepted into “the highest ranks of Paradise.”
Youssef Harb announced “the news of the martyrdom of my brother, my beloved, my support,” Rami Harb. “My heart aches,” Youssef wrote. “Why did you leave so soon, my love?”
Omar Gaber considered Rami a “true brother and friend.” His death was “too soon.” He included one photograph of Rami, speaking on the phone, wearing a black puffer coat, and another of him smiling, wearing a red and black North Face jacket. Fadl Mohamed remembered Rami as “beloved” and the “light of [his] soul.”
“Al-Bureij brings us together” included a video of Youssef Mit’s father responding to the loss of his son. “I kept saying, ‘God will compensate me.’ God took the house, but He will protect my children. I was getting up to pray Asr when they told me a police car had been hit. I went and found my son, the light of my children. He passed away while fasting. My heart is breaking and I don’t know what to do. I’m devastated inside. God is sufficient for me, and He is the best disposer of affairs.I lost relatives and my nephews at the beginning of the war, but losing your own son is like having your heart blown out. May God have mercy on him.”
Shady Mit asked that Youssef Faraj Mit find peace “in the Gardens of Eternity, in comfort and bliss, and with a Lord who is not angry.” Aboali Alhabil, Youssef’s uncle, promised that he would “remain in our hearts, and [his] memory [would] never fade.” He included a photograph of Youssef, a young man, wearing a black shirt and jacket.
Mohammed Qedama posted in remembrance of his “brother and comrade” Musab al-Durrah. As with Wissam al-Hafi, Musab was described as a “heroic fighter,” but no references to specific armed groups or militancy were included. Tariq Jamal asked how Musab, his “dear friend” could “leave us so suddenly.” Tariq was bereft at the loss: “Who will greet me in the morning, who will stay up with me in the evening, who will miss me after you, my brother? May God grant me a reunion with him in Paradise soon.” Included with the memorial was a photograph of the two friends. Ali Durra [Durrah], Musab’s cousin, wrote that his “memory will remain in our hearts as long as we live.” Ali took solace in the fact that Musab was killed during Ramadan: “Our solace is that you ascended to martyrdom while fasting during these blessed days.”
Noted above, Airwars first published this incident, no open sources were found to suggest that Musab Ziad al-Dharra was a militant. As such, Musab Ziad al-Dharra was recorded as a civilian. This was in line with Airwars’ methodology which is employed across all conflicts we document, and informed by international standards regarding the ‘presumption of civilian status'. Specifically, as outlined by the International Committee of the Red Cross, civilian status is assumed until evidence is identified to the contrary.
On March 19, 2026, a Telegram account affiliated with Hamas' armed wing, Al-Qessam Brigades, published a tribute to Musab Ziad al-Dharra, identifying him as a fighter. As such, Airwars updated Musab Ziad al-Dharra's status from civilian to militant and changed the minimum number of civilians reportedly killed in this incident from 10 to nine.
A Facebook user Mohammed Abu Jayyab posted an image of the destroyed police jeep, noting that everyone inside had been killed.
According to the website Genocide in Gaza, the attack happened without prior warning.