Israeli airstrike kills Hamas political leader in Gaza
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Jerusalem: Hamas political leader Salah al-Bardaweel was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.
The strike also claimed the life of Salah al-Bardaweel's wife, reports The Times of Israel, quoting pro-Hamas media.
This strike was indeed part of a larger Israeli military operation aimed at targeting Hamas strongholds across the Gaza Strip.
The collapse of the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas has led to a significant escalation in the conflict. The fragile truce, which was brokered by the US, Egypt, and Qatar on January 19, has been shattered, with Israel launching intense airstrikes across Gaza on March 18.
The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, justified the renewed military action, citing Hamas's continued refusal to release hostages and its rejection of proposals mediated by US envoy Steve Witkoff.
A statement from Netanyahu's office emphasised that Israel's prime minister has directed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to escalate strikes against Hamas, aiming to dismantle the group's military and governing capabilities in Gaza.
"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength. The operational plan was presented by the IDF over the weekend and approved by the political leadership," the statement read.
The breakdown of truce talks between Israel and Hamas was indeed a pivotal trigger for the recent escalation. Initially, a three-stage agreement had been reached, with the first phase involving a limited Israeli-Palestinian prisoner exchange and increased aid to the Gaza Strip. However, disagreements arose when Israel sought to extend the first phase, while Hamas insisted on moving forward to the second phase, which was originally scheduled to start on March 2 and included additional hostage exchanges.
During the initial phase, Hamas had released 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. However, the group still holds approximately 59 hostages, prompting Israel to intensify its military campaign.
Netanyahu's stance on the war's primary goal is the complete dismantling of Hamas. The latest offensive, he claims, aims to force Hamas to surrender the remaining hostages.
In addition to Salah al-Bardaweel, the Israeli airstrikes also targeted and killed other high-ranking Hamas officials, including Essam Addalees, head of Hamas' de facto government, and internal security chief Mahmoud Abu Watfa.
(inputs from IANS)