JERUSALEM, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Salah al-Bardawil, a senior Hamas leader and member of the group's political bureau, was killed in an Israeli airstrike overnight in the southern Gaza Strip, Israel's military and the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency said in a joint statement on Sunday.
According to the statement, al-Bardawil was a key figure in Hamas' strategic and military operations. "This elimination further degrades Hamas' military and governance capabilities," the statement said.
Hamas confirmed al-Bardawil's death, saying he was killed alongside his wife while sheltering in a tent at a displacement camp in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis.
Since the resumption of airstrikes, Israel has killed several senior Hamas officials, including Issam al-Daalis, a member of Hamas' political bureau and head of the Government Follow-up Committee in Gaza.
Israel resumed strikes in Gaza on March 18 after a ceasefire with Hamas that began on Jan. 19 unraveled. Israeli forces subsequently launched ground operations across southern, northern, and central Gaza.
Since the resumption of Israeli airstrikes, at least 673 people have been killed and 1,233 wounded, the Gaza-based health authorities said on Sunday. ■
