Who Was Salah al-Bardaweel? Hamas Political Leader & His Wife Killed in Israel's Renewed Fight in Gaza

Tel Aviv: An Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza's Khan Younis has killed Hamas political leader Salah al-Bardaweel, Hamas and Palestinian media reported on Sunday. His wife also lost her life in the attack, according to reports from pro-Hamas media cited by Reuters.  

This airstrike is part of Israel’s intensified military operations in Gaza, which resumed on Tuesday after a breakdown in ceasefire talks. Palestinian health officials say the renewed strikes have led to hundreds of deaths.  

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that the main objective of the war is to eliminate Hamas as a military and governing force. He has also justified the ongoing attacks by saying they are meant to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages still held by the group.  

The airstrike that killed Bardaweel follows a series of Israeli attacks targeting senior Hamas figures. On Tuesday, Israeli forces killed Hamas' de facto government head Essam Addalees and internal security chief Mahmoud Abu Watfa.  

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Bardaweel is the latest high-profile Hamas figure to be killed in Israeli attacks. Earlier this week, Israeli airstrikes killed Essam Addalees, the head of Hamas' de facto government, and Mahmoud Abu Watfa, the group’s internal security chief.  

On Friday, Israel's military confirmed the killing of Osama Tabash, who headed Hamas' military intelligence in southern Gaza. He was also responsible for the group's surveillance and targeting operations.  

The escalation in violence comes amid a deadlock over ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. A temporary truce that began in January had led to Hamas releasing around three dozen hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. However, negotiations to extend the ceasefire have failed, despite mediation efforts by Arab nations and the United States.  

Since the ceasefire ended two weeks ago, Israel has resumed airstrikes and imposed strict restrictions on aid supplies to Gaza in an attempt to pressure Hamas into further negotiations.  

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza, which has so far killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. Nearly 90% of Gaza's population has been displaced due to the ongoing conflict.  

Gaza’s Health Ministry states that more than half of those killed in the war are women and children. However, the ministry does not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties in its reports.