Hamas group confirmed that an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed its senior political leader Salah al-Bardaweel and his wife, according to Palestinian media reports.

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The airstrike bombed southern Gaza's Khan Younis as Israel renewed its fighting in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Bardawil was a prominent member of the militant group's political wing, who had given interviews to the media over the years.

Hamas describes Bardaweel's death as 'assassination'

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Hamas, in a statement, described Bardaweel's death as an "assassination."

"His blood, that of his wife and martyrs, will remain fuelling the battle of liberation and independence," said the group.

Bardaweel's death is the latest in the string of Hamas politicians to have been killed in the renewed Israeli airstrikes.

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On Tuesday (Mar 18), the militant group confirmed that the head of its government in the Gaza Strip, Essam al-Dalis, was among the officials killed in Israeli strikes on the besieged Palestinian enclave.

"These leaders, along with their families, were martyred after being directly targeted by the Zionist occupation forces' aircraft," said the Hamas statement.

It further said that interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa and Bahjat Abu Sultan, director-general of the internal security service, were also killed in the strikes.

Dalis, a prominent Hamas member, was elected to the movement's Gaza leadership in March 2021. Just a few months later, in June 2021, he took on the significant role of heading the Government Administrative Committee of the Gaza Strip, effectively serving as the head of government.

Israel, in November 2023, claimed to have bombed a Hamas structure, where Dalis was present with other leaders who were killed.

IDF tells Gazans to evacuate part of southern city of Rafah

Israeli army, on Sunday (Mar 23), called for the residents of the Gaza Strip in the Tel Sultan area in Rafah to immediately evacuate as forces launched an offensive against militants in the area.

Taking to X, military spokesman Avichay Adraee said that the army "launched an offensive to strike the terrorist organisations" in Rafah's Tal al-Sultan district. 

(With inputs from agencies)