Israeli forces killed Salah al-Bardawil, a senior Hamas leader and Palestinian MP, in an airstrike in Khan Younis. His wife also died in the attack. The strike took place early on Sunday while they prayed in a tent during the 23rd night of Ramadan. Local sources reported that they had been staying in the Muwasi area at the time.
Salah al-Bardawil: Political career and legacy
Al-Bardawil held key positions in Hamas, serving multiple terms in its political bureau. He oversaw both internal and external affairs for the group.
Born in August 1959 in the Khan Younis refugee camp, he had deep ties to the region. His family came from al-Jura, a village now part of Israeli-occupied Ashkelon. He studied Arabic at Cairo University, earning a degree in 1982, followed by a Master’s in 1987 and a PhD in 2001.
During the 1990s, he worked as a teacher and university lecturer while also engaging in journalism. He founded Al-Risalah, a Gaza-based weekly newspaper, where he published a column critical of the Palestinian Authority’s policies.
His political involvement grew in 1996 when he helped establish the National Salvation Party, a political front for Hamas. A decade later, he won a seat in the Palestinian Legislative Council as part of Hamas’s Change and Reform Bloc. His responsibilities included foreign relations and work on several parliamentary committees.
Influence in media and civil society
Beyond politics, al-Bardawil contributed to media and civil society. He joined the Palestinian Writers’ Union and the Palestinian Journalists’ Union. Additionally, he founded the National Gathering for Thought and Culture.
Within Hamas, he led the media department and managed national and factional relations. Israeli authorities detained him in 1993 but released him without charges.
Hamas described al-Bardawil as a key political and media figure. The group stated that his killing would prompt retaliatory actions.
