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Palestinian mourners carry the coffin of Adnan al-Ghoul, a senior member of the Hamas militant group, right and his assistant Emad Abbas, left, both killed in an Israeli missile attack late Thursday, during their funeral procession in Gaza City, Friday Oct. 22, 2004. Tens of thousands of angry Hamas supporters joined the procession. (AP/Adel Hana)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners October 22, 2004 |
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Terrorists launched about thirty mortars against Israeli settlements in southern Gaza Friday, following the elimination of a top Hamas bombmaker in an Israeli missile strike.
Tens of thousands of angry Hamas supporters joined the funeral procession for Adnan al-Ghoul, 46, a founder and deputy chief of the Hamas military wing who had been on Israel's most-wanted list since 1990.
Mourners and leaders of the Islamic militant group threatened revenge attacks against Israel. "Hamas is loyal to the blood of its martyrs and will continue on the path of holy war and resistance until we achieve victory be defeating the Zionists," Ismail Hanieh, a Hamas leader, said in a rare appearance at a Gaza City mosque.
Hamas leaders have been driven underground by Israel's relentless campaign of targeted killings, including those of the group's founder and his successor this year. Israeli analysts said the killing of al-Ghoul was a major blow to Hamas because of his expertise in making bombs, rockets and crude anti-tank missiles.
Israel held al-Ghoul responsible for the deaths of dozens of Israelis, including in major suicide bombings in the 1990s. Al-Ghoul's assistant, Imad Abbas, was also killed in Thursday's airstrike.
Following al-Ghoul's killing, mortar rounds were fired at Neve Dekalim, the largest Israeli community in Gush Katif, and adjacent military posts. The projectiles damaged four houses but caused no casualties. Settlers reported mortar shells falling on two other south Gaza settlements, but causing no damage.
One terrorist was killed and another gravely wounded as they prepared to fire a mortar at Neve Dekalim, Palestinians and the army said. Palestinians said the dead man was a known Hamas activist. It was not immediately clear if the men were hit by Israeli fire or whether the mortar shell exploded prematurely.
One mourner was shot dead at the funeral procession for the militant killed while firing the mortar. Palestinian witnesses said Israeli soldiers guarding the Neve Dekalim settlement some 300 meters (yards) away killed the unarmed civilian. The army had no immediate comment.
Later Friday, militants fired a homemade rocket at another Gaza settlement. The rocket landed in the backyard of a house but caused no injuries, the army said.
Al-Ghoul had been in hiding for years, avoiding public appearances and media interviews. He narrowly escaped two previous attempts on his life.
Hamas' ability to strike back at Israel has been severely weakened by a string of assassinations. Early this year, Israel killed the group's spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, and his successor, Abdel Aziz Rantisi.
A top Hamas leader based in Damascus, Syria, was killed in a car bombing last month. Israeli security officials acknowledged involvement. Most Hamas leaders in Gaza have gone into hiding.
Al-Ghoul's killing leaves the Hamas military leadership solely in the hands of Mohammed Deif, its longtime chief. Deif, like al-Ghoul, is high on Israel's wanted list and has been in hiding for years. They both escaped a September 2003 airstrike aimed at a gathering of Hamas leaders in Gaza.
Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat condemned Thursday's killing, which he said "reflects the determination of the Israeli government to continue the path of military solutions rather than negotiations."
Later Thursday, an Israeli helicopter fired a missile in the northern Gaza Strip, causing no injuries but destroying the home of a local militant leader, witnesses said. The army said it destroyed a weapons workshop.
In the southern Gaza Strip, Israeli tanks and bulldozers moved about 100 meters (yards) into the Rafah refugee camp early Friday, witnesses said.
An Israeli helicopter hovered overhead, firing bursts of gunfire, and Palestinian gunmen returned fire. Israeli military sources confirmed an operation was under way, but declined to give details.
The Rafah camp, located on the Egyptian border, is a flashpoint of violence, and an Israeli soldier was killed in the area Thursday.
The small Rafah operation follows a broad invasion into northern Gaza -- meant to stop terrorists from firing rockets into Israel -- that began Sept. 29 and ended last week.
A report released Friday by the U.N. Reliefs and Works Agency said the 17-day "Days of Penitence" offensive killed 107 Palestinians, left nearly 700 people homeless and caused more than $3 million in damage.
Gaza has experienced an upsurge in violence since Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced plans earlier this year to withdraw from the volatile area. Both Israel and militants want to claim victory ahead of the planned withdrawal.
Sharon is planning to present his Gaza withdrawal plan to parliament for a vote Tuesday.
Aides to the prime minister said he has locked up enough support to win that vote, but is deeply concerned about growing fissures within his ruling Likud Party over the plan.
Just over half Likud's 40 lawmakers are expected to support the plan, forcing Sharon to rely on moderate opposition parties. He is expected at this time to get 68 votes in the 120 member Knesset.
A victory Tuesday in the first of three parliamentary votes on the plan would give Sharon strong momentum, although the government could still fall on other issues, including the budget, before the planned withdrawal begins next summer.
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