Senior Hamas leader killed in Israeli airstrike on southern Gaza

Sky News

23-03-2025

An Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza has killed top Hamas political leader Salah al Bardaweel, officials of the militant group have said.
He was a member of the party's political bureau and Palestinian parliament - and often gave media interviews.
In a statement, Hamas said he was "a beacon of political, media, and national activism", and a "symbol of honesty, steadfastness, and sacrifice".
The strike, which took place on Khan Younis, also killed his wife - and several other Palestinians.
At least 30 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes on Rafah and Khan Younis on Sunday, Gaza health authorities said.
The European Hospital and Kuwaiti Hospital said women and children were among those killed in the Khan Younis attack.
Explosions took place throughout the north, central, and southern Gaza Strip in the early hours of Sunday - with Israeli planes hitting several targets.
More than 50,000 people have now been killed in the territory since the war began, according to Gaza health officials.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count - but has previously said more than half of those killed in the conflict were women and children.
The war began when Hamas militants carried out a cross-border raid into southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing around 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials. Israel responded by launching an air and ground offensive in Gaza.
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Israel's military abandoned the ceasefire agreement that began on 19 January on Tuesday - by resuming significant airstrikes on Gaza.
Israel claims Hamas broke the ceasefire - something the group denies, in turn accusing Israel of violating the agreement that was initiated by Qatar, Egypt and the US.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly asserted the primary aim of the war is to destroy Hamas in its entirety.
Mr Netanyahu has also said Israel's latest military assault hopes to force Hamas to give up the remaining hostages.
Speaking to Israel's ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely, Sky's Sophy Ridge on Thursday challenged the idea that Hamas broke the ceasefire, given the militant group released all the hostages that were agreed upon during the first phase.
Mr Hotovely said: "The framework was very clear. Hamas must release hostages every single week. We waited three weeks with no hostages being released. We don't want to fight.
"Hamas is not releasing hostages anymore. Israel has no other choice rather than putting pressure on a terror organisation.
"We are dealing with terrorists. We are not dealing with civilised people."
Hamas has spent weeks calling for serious talks on the ceasefire agreement's second phase, which calls for the release of remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian political prisoners, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and a permanent ceasefire.
Talks were supposed to begin last month. It is unclear whether if, or when, they will now take place.