Khan Younis, Gaza Strip – A senior Hamas official and Palestinian lawmaker, Salah al-Bardawil, was killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike on Sunday in the Al-Mawasi area of western Khan Younis, southern Gaza, according to a statement from the Palestinian group. The strike, which also claimed the life of Bardawil’s wife, occurred as the couple observed night prayers in a tent, Hamas reported. The attack marks a significant escalation in the ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have intensified since Tuesday.
Hamas, a Palestinian militant and political organization, condemned the strike as a “cowardly Zionist attack,” accusing Israel of perpetuating a “systematic campaign of massacres” and committing war crimes in the beleaguered enclave. Bardawil, a prominent member of Hamas’s political bureau and a deputy in the Palestinian Legislative Council, was a key figure in the group’s governance structure in Gaza. His death is seen as a major blow to Hamas’s leadership amid an already volatile conflict.
The Israeli military has not issued a specific comment on Bardawil’s killing but has stated that its operations in Gaza target militant infrastructure and operatives in response to ongoing threats. The airstrike is part of a broader aerial campaign that has killed more than 700 Palestinians and injured over 1,000 since Tuesday, shattering a fragile ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement established in January. According to Palestinian health officials, the death toll in Gaza since October 2023 has reached nearly 50,000, with over 113,000 injured, predominantly women and children.
The international community has reacted with growing alarm. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its military actions in the enclave, allegations that Israel strongly denies, insisting its operations target Hamas and not civilians.
As violence surges, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, with aid agencies warning of catastrophic conditions for the region’s 2.3 million residents. The killing of Bardawil has further inflamed tensions, with Hamas vowing retaliation and calling for global intervention to halt what it describes as Israel’s “brutal onslaught.” The path to de-escalation remains uncertain as both sides brace for more bloodshed.
