Jerusalem: An Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, killed senior Hamas political leader Salah al-Bardaweel on Sunday, Hamas officials announced. The strike, which pro-Hamas media reported also claimed the life of Bardaweel’s wife, comes amid a renewed Israeli military campaign against the Palestinian militant group. Israeli officials have not yet commented on the incident.
After a two-month period of relative calm, Israeli forces launched an extensive air and ground offensive on Tuesday, effectively ending a ceasefire and escalating military operations across Gaza. As a result, thousands of civilians have been forced to flee their homes once again.
Explosions reverberated across northern, central, and southern Gaza in the early hours of Sunday, as Israeli warplanes targeted multiple locations. Witnesses described the strikes as a significant intensification of the offensive that began earlier in the week.
Hamas condemned the attack, alleging that Bardaweel was praying in a tent shelter with his wife when an Israeli missile struck.
“His blood, that of his wife and martyrs, will remain fueling the battle of liberation and independence. The criminal enemy will not break our determination and will,” the group said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that Israel’s primary objective in the war is to dismantle Hamas as a military and governing force. He has also emphasized that the latest offensive aims to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages.
Tuesday’s Israeli airstrikes also reportedly killed Hamas’ de facto government head, Essam Addalees, and internal security chief Mahmoud Abu Watfa, along with several other officials. According to Palestinian health officials, at least 400 people, including women and children, were killed on the same day.
Palestinian medics reported that an Israeli airstrike targeted a house in Rafah, southern Gaza, wounding multiple civilians.
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Hamas has accused Israel of violating the terms of the January ceasefire agreement by refusing to engage in final negotiations for a complete withdrawal from Gaza. However, the group has stated that it remains open to discussions and is reviewing mediator Daniel Witkoff’s “bridging” proposals.
The resumption of large-scale Israeli operations in Gaza has prompted renewed international calls for a ceasefire. Britain, France, and Germany issued a joint statement urging Israel to restore humanitarian aid access to the enclave.
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Israel, which has blocked the entry of goods into Gaza, has accused Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid for its own use—an allegation Hamas has consistently denied.
The conflict reignited after Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israeli communities near Gaza on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, Israel’s military campaign has resulted in the deaths of over 49,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza, while widespread destruction has left hundreds of thousands displaced in makeshift shelters.
