Israeli airstrikes across the southern Gaza Strip killed at least 19 Palestinians overnight into Sunday, including a senior Hamas political leader, according to officials.
Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are aligned with Hamas, launched another missile toward Israel, triggering air raid sirens. The Israeli military reported that the projectile was intercepted, with no casualties or damage reported.
Two hospitals in southern Gaza reported receiving 17 bodies from the overnight strikes, including women and children. The European Hospital confirmed that five children and their parents were among those killed in a strike in Khan Younis, while another strike in the same city claimed the lives of two girls and their parents. The Kuwaiti Hospital reported receiving the bodies of a woman and child killed in a separate attack.
Hamas announced that Salah Bardawil, a member of its political bureau and the Palestinian parliament, was killed in a strike near Khan Younis along with his wife. Bardawil was a prominent figure in Hamas’ political wing and had given media interviews over the years. The hospitals did not include Bardawil and his wife in their reported death tolls.
Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas last week, launching a surprise wave of airstrikes that killed hundreds of Palestinians. In response, the Houthis resumed attacks on Israel, framing them as acts of solidarity with the Palestinians, despite recent U.S. strikes targeting the Yemeni rebels.
The ceasefire, which began in January, had temporarily halted 15 months of intense fighting that started after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. During the truce, 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others were exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces withdrew to a buffer zone, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced residents to return to what remained of their homes, while humanitarian aid deliveries increased.
Negotiations were supposed to begin in early February for the next phase of the truce, in which Hamas was expected to release 59 remaining hostages—35 of whom are believed dead—in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal. However, the talks never materialized as Israel withdrew from the agreement after Hamas rejected Israeli and U.S.-backed proposals to release additional hostages before discussing a permanent ceasefire.
Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages during the October 7 attack. While most captives have been released through ceasefire agreements or other deals, Israeli forces have rescued eight alive and recovered dozens of bodies.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s military offensive has resulted in at least 49,747 Palestinian deaths, with women and children making up more than half of the casualties. However, the ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its records. Israel claims to have killed around 20,000 militants but has not provided evidence.
The offensive has devastated large parts of Gaza, displacing nearly 90% of the population at its peak. Earlier this month, Israel intensified pressure on Hamas by sealing off the territory, restricting access to essential supplies such as food, fuel, and medicine.