Hamas condemns ‘treacherous’ assassination of al-Bardawil
The Palestinian group has issued a statement confirming al-Bardawil’s killing. It said the senior Hamas politician was killed along with his wife in a “treacherous Zionist assassination operation” on their tent in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis.
Hamas described him as a “beacon of political, media, and national work, and a symbol of honesty, steadfastness, and sacrifice” and said “he never failed to perform a duty, take a stand, or serve the cause”.
His killing comes “as part of the series of brutal massacres committed by the enemy against our steadfast people in the Gaza Strip”, it added.
Palestinians gather at the scene where an Israeli strike killed Hamas senior official Salah al-Bardawil in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, March 23
Assassination of Hamas leader raises concerns over future negotiations
Salah al-Bardawil was a member of the political bureau of Hamas and its legislative council and was heavily involved in implementing many charitable projects across the Gaza Strip.
He was an important political figure but also extremely popular among the people of Khan Younis. His assassination underscores how most of Hamas’s political bureau across Gaza have been killed by the Israeli military.
This might affect how negotiations in the future will play out in terms of the captives’ release, as well as the “day after” plan for Gaza once Israel finally ends its devastating war.
Who is Salah al-Bardawil?
According to Palestinian media, al-Bardawil was born in the Khan Younis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on August 24, 1959.
He studied Arabic and literature in Egypt, obtaining a PhD in Palestinian literature in 2001. He worked as a teacher in government schools as well as the Islamic University throughout the 1990s and served as the editor-in-chief of Al Risala newspaper from 1997 to 2001.
According to the Quds News Network, al-Bardawil joined Hamas when it was founded in late 1987 and was arrested by Israeli forces in 1993 and held for more than 70 days in Gaza and Ashkelon prisons.
He was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council for the Hamas-affiliated Change and Reform Bloc in the 2006 elections. He was also a spokesman for Hamas, speaking to Arabic media, and writing articles and research articles on the Palestine issue for local and regional papers.
Al-Bardawil was elected to Hamas’s political bureau in 2021.
He has three sons and five daughters. His wife died in the same Israeli strike that killed him.
