Salah al-Bardawil
Salah al-Bardawil | |
|---|---|
| صلاح البردويل | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1959 Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip |
| Died | (aged 65) Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, Palestine |
| Political party | Hamas |
| Occupation |
|
| Hamas biographies |
|---|
| Map: Birthplaces and family origins. |
Salah al-Bardawil (Arabic: صلاح البردويل , 1959 – 23 March 2025) was a senior member of Hamas' political bureau and a spokesperson for the organization until 2025. He also served as a member at the Palestinian Legislative Council representing Hamas from 2006 to 2018 until the parliament was dissolved.[1][2]
Al-Bardawil was born in refugee camp in Khan Younis, and joined Hamas in 1987.[3][4] In 1993 he was detained by Israel.
Al-Bardawil was often quoted in Western media as a source for the views and pronouncements of Hamas. In March 2018, he told Quds News Network that Hamas was prepared to enter into dialogue with the United States.[5] This statement angered the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Fatah, who believe Hamas wants to be seen as the main representative of Palestinians.[6] Al-Bardawil had previously stated in 2017 that Palestinian reconciliation efforts were failing due to U.S. pressure.[7]
Following the decision by the United States to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the killings of Palestinian protesters that followed in May 2018, al-Bardawil was quoted by numerous sources as stating that 50 out of 62 people killed by IDF soldiers had been Hamas members.[8][9][10] This followed a statement from Israeli forces that 50 out of the 62 Palestinians killed during protests on the Gaza border were activists, and a statement from Islamic Jihad that three of the 62 deaths were members of its military wing.[11]
As part of the Gaza war, Al-Bardawil and his wife were killed in an Israeli drone airstrike on his tent west of Khan Yunis on 23 March 2025. He was 65.[12][13]
References
- ^ "Copy of Copy of Copy of The final distribution of PLC seats (3).xls" (PDF).
- ^ "Abbas dissolves PA parliament, calls for elections in 6 months". Xinhua. 23 December 2018.
- ^ Halabi, Einav (23 March 2025). "Senior Hamas official killed in his tent in Khan Younis". Ynetnews. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ^ "Hamas says Israeli strike kills political bureau official Salah Al-Bardawil". Arab News PK. 23 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ^ "لماذا حماس مستعدة للحوار مع واشنطن؟". شبكة قدس الإخبارية (in Arabic). 20 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ null (29 March 2018). "Hamas says it's open to dialogue with US". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
- ^ "Hamas official claims reconciliation failing due to US pressure". Retrieved 16 May 2018.
- ^ "Hamas official: 50 of the 62 Gazans killed in border violence were our members". Retrieved 16 May 2018.
- ^ Harpin, Lee (16 May 2018). "Hamas: Majority of Gaza border deaths were our members". www.thejc.com. The Jewish Chronicle. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
- ^ "Hamas Political Bureau Member Salah Al-Bardawil: 50 of the Martyrs Killed in Gaza were from Hamas, 12 Regular People". MEMRI. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
- ^ Khoury, Jack (16 May 2018). "50 of Dead in Gaza Protests Were Hamas Activists, Says Senior Hamas Official". Haaretz. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
- ^ "Hamas confirms death of political leader in Israeli strike in Southern Gaza". Khaleej Times. AFP. 23 March 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ Alouf, Rushdi Abu (23 March 2025). "Air strike kills senior Hamas official in Gaza". BBC. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
