The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has confirmed the martyrdom of Dr. Salah al-Bardawil, a senior political leader and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in a targeted Israeli airstrike west of Khan Younis.

In a statement, Hamas mourned Dr. al-Bardawil’s death, stating he was assassinated in a “treacherous Zionist operation” while performing night prayers on the 23rd night of the holy month of Ramadan, in his tent in the Al-Mawasi area. The group described him as “a symbol of political, media, and national work,” praising his unwavering commitment to the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

Dr. al-Bardawil's assassination is the latest in a long line of crimes committed by the Israeli occupation during its ongoing genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the death toll from Israel’s relentless aggression has now reached 49,747 martyrs, with over 113,213 Palestinians injured since October 7, 2023. In the last 48 hours alone, 130 martyrs — including two bodies retrieved from the rubble — and 263 injuries were documented in Gaza's overwhelmed hospitals.

As the occupation continues its brutal campaign, Israeli warplanes bombed two homes in the al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City, killing at least nine Palestinians. In the north, Israeli snipers injured a civilian in the Azbat Abed Rabbo area near the Jabalia refugee camp. Meanwhile, Israeli military vehicles opened fire east of the town of al-Fukhari in southern Gaza, further endangering civilians already under siege.

Despite international outcry, the Israeli regime continues its indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas, targeting homes, refugee camps, and now even political leaders in acts widely condemned as war crimes. (ILKHA)