Israeli air strike kills Hamas political leader in southern Gaza: Hamas

An Israeli air strike in southern Gaza's Khan Younis killed Hamas political leader Salah al-Bardaweel on Sunday, Hamas officials said.

Media said the air strike killed Bardaweel, a member of the group's political office, and his wife. Israeli officials had no immediate comment.

After two months of relative calm, Gazans were again fleeing for their lives after Israel abandoned a ceasefire, launching a new all-out air and ground campaign on Tuesday against Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza.

Explosions echoed throughout the north, central, and southern Gaza Strip in the early hours of Sunday as Israeli planes hit several targets in those areas in what witnesses said was an escalation of the attack that began on Tuesday.

In a statement, Hamas accused Israel of assassinating Bardaweel, whom it said was praying along with his wife, when an Israeli missile struck their tent shelter in Khan Younis.

"His blood, that of his wife and martyrs, will remain fueling the battle of liberation and independence. The criminal enemy will not break our determination and will," said the group.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said the main aim of the war is to destroy Hamas as a military and governing entity. He has said the objective of the new campaign is to force the group to give up the remaining hostages.

At least five senior officials and their families were killed by Israeli strikes on Tuesday, according to security sources in the Hamas government. 

The officials killed included Issam al-Daalis, a member of Hamas's political bureau and head of the Government Follow-up Committee in Gaza; Ahmed Omar al-Hatta, deputy minister of Hamas's justice ministry; Mahmoud Abu Watfa, Hamas' deputy interior minister; Bahjat Hassan Abu Sultan, director-general of Hamas's internal security service; and Abu Obeida al-Jamasi, a political bureau member and head of the emergency committee in Gaza, the sources said.

Palestinian health officials said at least 400 people, more than half of them women and children, were killed on Tuesday.

Hamas has accused Israel of breaking the terms of the January ceasefire agreement by refusing to begin negotiations to end the war and withdraw its troops from Gaza. But Hamas has said it is still willing to negotiate and was studying Witkoff's "bridging" proposals.

(With input from agencies)