An Israeli air strike in Khan Younis has struck a severe blow to Hamas in southern Gaza. The attack claimed the life of Salah al-Bardaweel, a senior political leader within Hamas, along with his wife, according to Hamas officials. This latest incident marks a significant escalation after two months of relative calm in the region.
Early Sunday morning, explosions reverberated across north, central, and southern Gaza as Israeli forces intensified their campaign. Witnesses reported that the violence began in the early hours, with a series of air strikes targeting multiple locations, indicating a renewed ground and air assault that followed the abandonment of a previous ceasefire.
Hamas has condemned the strike, accusing Israel of assassinating al-Bardaweel while he was in a moment of prayer with his wife in their tent shelter. A statement from Hamas declared, "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."
Further compounding the region's deteriorating security situation, at least five senior Hamas officials—including Issam al-Daalis, Ahmed Omar al-Hatta, Mahmoud Abu Watfa, Bahjat Hassan Abu Sultan, and Abu Obeida al-Jamasi—as well as their families, were killed in strikes that took place on Tuesday. Palestinian health officials have reported that at least 400 people, a majority of whom were women and children, lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly affirmed that the overarching aim of the current campaign is to dismantle Hamas as both a military and governing force. Officials have emphasized that one objective is to compel Hamas to release the hostages held by the militant group. As the violence intensifies, the situation in Gaza continues to unfold, prompting widespread concern among a global community attuned to the evolving crisis.
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Israeli strike kills Hamas political leader in southern Gaza: Hamas
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