Vigilante groups in Gaza fill vacuum left by absent police

A group of masked vigilantes are patrolling the streets of Rafah after the civil police force went underground saying it was targeted by Israeli strikes. The group of nine of the men, brought together by armed factions in Gaza, sport headbands reading “People’s Protection Committees“ around ski masks or hoods. They were first observed in Rafah late last month. “We want to control the street to ensure that there is still safety in the country... We are present in the streets to control the streets from all sources of trouble existing in the Palestinian street now,“ one said. The group was formed by the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, along with other political factions that had a street presence in Gaza, and was tasked with ensuring public order and stopping price hikes by market profiteers, he said. #Gaza #Rafah #Israel Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now: