Israeli Air Strikes Intensify as Hamas Leaders Targeted Again

An Israeli air strike in Khan Younis claims the life of top Hamas official Salah al-Bardaweel as military actions resume following a ceasefire.

An Israeli air strike in Khan Younis has resulted in the death of Salah al-Bardaweel, a prominent member of the Hamas political office, as confirmed by local sources. The strike occurred early on Sunday and also reportedly claimed the life of al-Bardaweel's wife. The Israeli military had not released an official comment regarding the incident.

The recent air strikes come in the wake of Israel resuming its ground operations in Gaza on Tuesday, which left hundreds dead. This escalation marks a significant shift as it ends a ceasefire agreement that had been in place since 19 January, which had led to nearly two months of reduced hostilities.

Following the air strikes, Hamas has dismissed Israel's claims of culpability, stating that the Israeli forces had violated the ceasefire agreement that was brokered with the assistance of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Hamas has labeled Israel's military actions as unprovoked aggression.

An official from the Hamas-run health ministry reported that at least 32 Palestinians have lost their lives across different areas of the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours alone, attributing the escalating violence primarily to Israeli actions.

The Israeli military had initiated this campaign as a response to a cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, that resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, along with 251 individuals taken hostage. Since then, the Hamas-run health ministry claims that over 49,500 Palestinians have been killed, alongside widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure within Gaza.