Israel’s war on Gaza decimates police force as community leaders fill security vacuum

Police vehicles destroyed, checkpoints abandoned. Since the start of the war, Gaza's civilian police force has come under sustained attack, weakening its capacity. Officials say the campaign goes beyond targeting security facilities. The Israeli army is heavily focusing on assassinating as many members of the Palestinian police as possible, with reports of more than 2,500 police personnel killed during the War of Annihilation in an effort to spread chaos, lawlessness and destroy the social fabric in Gaza. As police presence diminished, a security vacuum emerged in many areas. With fewer officers, communities have increasingly turned to alternatives to settle disputes and maintain order. In the absence of a strong police presence, community leaders in Gaza are increasingly stepping in to resolve disputes and help maintain order, with the clan leaders and mediators taking on a larger role in preserving social stability. Among them is Tawfiq Shalat, a well-known mediator in central Gaza. He says he and other community figures have intervened in thousands of disputes since the war began. Community leaders and mediators are always on high alert and resolve disputes as soon as they arise. During the war, the police were unable to deploy normally, and our role was to intervene, mediate and prevent conflicts from escalating. We accompanied Tawfiq and a group of community leaders as they worked to resolve a dispute between two families. Drawing on long-standing Palestinian traditions, they helped negotiate a settlement. And as the war on Gaza continues, community mediation is no longer the exception. For many families, it has become the first and often only path available to settle disputes. Muadhil Kahlout, Al Jazeera, from Gaza City, Palestine.