By Harun Nasrullah
LONDON, (The Muslim News): Israeli attacks killed eight Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, including a child and five police officers, as Iran retaliated against Britain and the United States debated whether to resume strikes against Iran.
Iran designated Britain’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations and classified MI6 as a hostile group in response to London’s decision to label Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) under the State Threats Act 2026.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned that Washington could resume military strikes against Iran, even as diplomatic efforts continue to revive negotiations.
Five police officers were killed in an Israeli airstrike in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the territory’s Interior Ministry said. It added that the officers were targeted while carrying out their duties.
A medical source at Nasser Hospital confirmed the deaths. Local sources said the strike landed near schools, causing panic among pupils. The Interior Ministry also said that at least 75 police officers have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, 2025.
In Gaza City, an Israeli airstrike on al-Thawra Street killed three Palestinians, including a father and his four-year-old son, according to a medical source at al-Shifa Hospital. Six others were wounded, including the man’s wife, some seriously. Local sources said an Israeli drone struck a gathering of civilians in the street.
Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot a Palestinian in the thigh in central Khan Younis and a two-year-old girl in the head in the city. The girl was reported to be in moderate condition.
In Halawa camp, east of Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, several Palestinians were also wounded by Israeli gunfire. A woman was among those injured and was admitted to hospital in critical condition.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the latest deaths brought the total number of Palestinians killed since the ceasefire to 1,580, with another 5,711 wounded.
More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 175,000 wounded since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023, according to the ministry. It said around 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been destroyed.
Israeli forces raid Palestinian homes in West Bank
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces arrested five Palestinians during raids on homes on Sunday. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office said four young men were detained during searches in Burin, south of Nablus, while another Palestinian was arrested in Qalandiya refugee camp, north of occupied East Jerusalem.
The office said Israeli forces carry out frequent arrest raids across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, often accompanied by assaults on residents and damage to homes and property.
Palestinian figures put the number of people held in Israeli prisons at around 9,350, including 350 children and 90 women. Human rights organisations have documented allegations of torture, starvation and medical neglect, and dozens of prisoners have reportedly died in custody.
Since October 2023, Palestinian estimates say Israeli military operations and settler attacks in the West Bank have killed more than 1,220 Palestinians, wounded about 13,350, and led to more than 26,000 arrests.
Iran targets British armed forces and MI6
Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that it had designated Britain’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations and classified MI6 as a hostile group.
In a statement carried by IRNA news agency, the ministry said the measures were authorised by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. It said the action was in response to Britain’s hostile steps, particularly London’s designation of the IRGC under the State Threats Act 2026 on July 13.
Tehran also accused Britain of supporting US-Israeli illegal military operations against Iran by providing access to military bases, facilities and logistical support under British jurisdiction.
The dispute follows US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, which prompted Iranian retaliation across the region. Washington and Tehran later signed a memorandum in June, but disagreements have continued over security arrangements and shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Trump faces pressure from Netanyahu to resume strikes against Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged President Trump to resume military operations against Iran after Tuesday’s US midterm elections, according to a report by Axios.
Netanyahu made the request during a telephone call with Trump on Saturday. American and Israeli sources familiar with the exchange said the Israeli prime minister was concerned about Trump’s preference for continued diplomacy.
An Israeli official described the conversation as “tough”, while a US source called it “direct”. The White House and Netanyahu’s office declined to comment.
Trump told reporters that negotiations with Tehran were progressing and that he was not “in much of a hurry” to resume military action.
Diplomatic contacts include correspondence from US Vice President JD Vance to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, concerning the possible restart of formal negotiations.
Qatari mediators have also met Iranian representatives to restore direct talks between Washington and Tehran.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said an agreement remained out of reach and that Tehran was awaiting a response from the United States.
Despite the diplomatic engagement, Trump warned that US forces remained capable of carrying out further strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Saturday, he claimed US operations had severely weakened Iran’s armed forces and nuclear infrastructure, leaving “one or two targets”.
“We still have to take care of, I would say, one or two sites, but we can do that in 10 minutes. So, we have that plan,” he said.
Trump identified Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected Iranian nuclear facility, as a potential target. When asked whether military action could resume as early as this week, he replied: “Why would you ask such a stupid question?” before adding: “I can’t tell you.”
He reiterated that the US would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, saying: “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. They want to make a deal; we’ll find out about that.”
Trump also questioned Iran’s reliability, accusing Iranian officials of repeatedly backing away from agreements. “They’re going fine, but they’re not very reliable. I will tell you, they make a deal and then they back out. They want to make a deal. We’ll see if they make a deal,” he said.
The comments came after meetings between Iranian negotiators and Qatari mediators in Doha on Saturday, following discussions in Tehran on Friday aimed at finding a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
[Photo: Relatives mourn during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli attack on Al-Thawra Street in western Gaza City, Gaza, Palestine, on November 1, 2026. Despite the ceasefire, three Palestinians, including a child, were killed and six others injured in the attack. The bodies of those killed were taken for burial following funeral procedures at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Grieving relatives bid farewell to their loved ones during the funeral. Photojournalist: Saeed M. M. T. Jaras/AA]
