Assassination of Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi

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Assassination of Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi
Date17 April 2004;20 years ago (2004-04-17)
Location Gaza City, Gaza Strip
CauseAttacks against Israel
Target Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi
Perpetrator IDF
Deaths3 [1]

On the evening of 17 April 2004, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, aged 56, was assassinated by missiles fired by Israeli warplanes on the car he was traveling in. [2] In addition two of his bodyguards were killed. [1] The operation was considered part of a campaign to eliminate the leaders of the groups fighting in the uprising. [3] The assassination led to widespread condemnation around the world. [4] Hamas spokesman Ismail Haniyeh vowed to avenge the death, saying the sacrifice would not be in vain. [5]

Contents

Background

Al-Rantisi was among the founders of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in December 1987. [6] He was arrested on March 4, 1988, and remained in prison until September 4, 1990. He was deported on December 17, 1992, along with 425 other Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists and cadres, to southern Lebanon. Then he was allowed to return and was imprisoned until 1997. He was also arrested by Palestinian Authority security forces and detained for 15 months. [6]

Al-Rantisi had narrowly escaped an assassination attack on June 10, 2003, as an Apache aircraft identified his location and targeted his vehicle with a missile. The operation resulted in the deaths of three Palestinians, including a woman and a girl, and left Al-Rantisi injured with shrapnel in his lower left extremity. Al-Rantisi, still under the influence of anesthesia following the surgical procedure, committed to "persisting with the resistance efforts." [7]

Assassination

The attack took place less than a month after the assassination of leader Ahmed Yassin. [2] Rantisi was one of the founders of the movement. On 10 June 2003, Al-Rantisi had survived an assassination attempt by an Apache helicopter, in which he and his son were wounded. [8] [9] He was still alive when he was taken to hospital where he died a few minutes later. [10] In response, the militant movement promised retribution. [3]

Reactions

Aftermath

His funeral took place the next day, and large, angry crowds participated in his funeral. [20] Fighters from Palestinian national and Islamic organizations also participated in the cortège. [21] At the same time, Hamas named a new leader, whom it did not disclose due to security reasons. [20]

On 20 April 2004, Israeli occupation forces shot dead four Palestinians. [22] The same day, Sharon warned of further attacks on Hamas leaders. He said that the two leaders would not be the last to be killed. [23]

His wife Jamila al-Shanti was also killed after the start of the 2023–2024 Gaza War. [24]

Analysis

Khaled Hroub maintains that the murders of Ranitsi and Yassin resulted in a paradox for the movement, with a surge in Hamas's popularity juxtaposed with a significant weakening of the organization. [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 "Sources: New Hamas leader's identity a secret". www.chinadaily.com.cn.
  2. 1 2 Urquhart, Conal; Hinsliff, Gaby (18 April 2004). "Israeli missile attack kills new Hamas chief". The Guardian.
  3. 1 2 "Israel kills Hamas leader, group promises revenge - Taipei Times". 19 April 2004.
  4. ↑ "Fury as Gaza buries Hamas leader". 19 April 2004 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  5. 1 2 "Iran Report: April 19, 2004". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 11 November 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Who is Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi? - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  7. ↑ "اغتيال الرنتسي فصل جديد في استهداف قادة حماس". الجزيرة نت.
  8. ↑ "Israel Fires Missiles at Leader of Hamas". The Washington Post. 11 June 2003.
  9. ↑ "CNN.com - Hamas, Israeli officials vow to keep fighting - Jun. 10, 2003". www.cnn.com.
  10. ↑ "Israel Kills Top Hamas Leader - CBS News". CBS News . 18 April 2004.
  11. 1 2 "People's Daily Online -- Israeli killing of Rantisi draws world condemnation". en.people.cn.
  12. 1 2 "تزايد الأصوات الدولية المنددة باغتيال الرنتيسي". الجزيرة نت.
  13. ↑ "كونا :: الشريف .. مصر تدين بشدة اغتيال الرنتيسى وتحذر من زيادة حلقات الانتقام المتبادل 18/04/2004".
  14. ↑ "كونا :: الشريف .. مصر تدين بشدة اغتيال الرنتيسى وتحذر من زيادة حلقات الانتقام المتبادل 18/04/2004".
  15. ↑ "صفحة18(19_4_2004)". Addiyar. 11 April 2014.
  16. ↑ "مجلس الأمن يناقش مقتل زعيم حماس عبد العزيز الرنتيسي | أخبار الأمم المتحدة". news.un.org (in Arabic). 19 April 2004. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  17. ↑ وكالات, الأراضي المحتلة-محمد أبوفياض،. "فلسطين تشيّع الرنتيسي وشارون يثني على اغتياله". صحيفة الوسط البحرينية.
  18. ↑ "Britain: Israel's Assassination of Rantissi is Unlawful". english.wafa.ps.
  19. ↑ "كونا : بريطانيا تدين اغتيال الرنتيسي وتؤكد رفضها لسياسة الاغتيالات الاسرائيلية - الشؤون السياسية - 18/04/2004". www.kuna.net.kw.
  20. 1 2 "Hamas pledges revenge, names secret leader". www.chinadaily.com.cn.
  21. ↑ "Israel vows more killing".
  22. ↑ "Israeli soldiers kill four Palestinians".
  23. ↑ "Sharon warns of attacks on new Hamas leaders". Deseret News. 15 January 2024.
  24. ↑ "Jamila-al-Shanti, first woman in Hamas Politburo, killed in Israeli strike". The Times of India. 19 October 2023. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  25. ↑ Hroub, Khaled (2004). "Hamas after Shaykh Yasin and Rantisi". Journal of Palestine Studies. 33 (4): 21–38. doi:10.1525/jps.2004.33.4.021. ISSN   0377-919X.
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