An Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza on Sunday killed Salah al-Bardaweel, a senior Hamas political leader, along with his wife, officials from the group said.
Residents reported a surge in Israeli military operations as the six-day-old campaign intensified across the Gaza Strip. Explosions echoed throughout the north, central, and southern regions as Israeli planes targeted multiple locations.
At least 18 Palestinians were killed in strikes on Rafah and Khan Younis on Sunday, Gaza’s health authorities reported.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an evacuation warning on X (formerly Twitter) for residents in the Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood in western Rafah, indicating plans to target “terrorist organizations” in the area.
Hamas accused Israel of assassinating Bardaweel, stating he was praying with his wife when their shelter was struck by an Israeli missile in Khan Younis. “His blood, that of his wife and martyrs, will remain fueling the battle of liberation and independence,” the group said in a statement.
This escalation follows Israel’s abandonment of a ceasefire on Tuesday, launching a new air and ground offensive against Hamas after two months of relative calm in the 17-month-long conflict.
Hamas’ de facto government head Essam Addalees and internal security chief Mahmoud Abu Watfa were also reported killed in Israeli strikes earlier in the week.
Palestinian health officials stated that at least 400 people, more than half of them women and children, were killed on Tuesday.
The renewed hostilities have prompted calls for a ceasefire from Arab and European nations. Britain, France, and Germany issued a joint statement urging Israel to restore humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
Israel has blocked the entry of goods into Gaza, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s foreign policy adviser, Ophir Falk, accused Hamas of diverting aid for its own use—a claim Hamas denies.
Hamas accused Israel of violating the terms of a January ceasefire agreement by refusing to enter negotiations to end the conflict and withdraw troops from Gaza. The group expressed willingness to negotiate, considering proposals from U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
