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Israel kills Hamas leader and his family with one-tonne bomb
Friday, 2 January 2009
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Palestinians search for bodies in the rubble of the destroyed house of Hamas senior leader Nizar Rayan after an Israeli missiles strike in the refugee camp of Jabaliya on January 1, 2009 in Gaza
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Israel killed a Hamas strongman yesterday by dropping a one-tonne bomb on his house, also killing two of his wives and four of his children.
This first assault on the top leadership of Gaza's ruling group escalated a crushing aerial offensive as Israel declared itself ready to launch a ground invasion.
"We are trying to hit everybody who is a leader of the organisation, and today we hit one of their leaders," said Israeli vice-prime minister Haim Ramon.
Medics say a total of 13 members of Rayyan's family were killed by the airstrike on the residential neighbourhood.
A Hamas official said: "The blood of Sheikh Nizar Rayyan and the blood of other martyrs will never be wasted and the enemy will pay a heavy price for the crimes it has committed."
Thousands of soldiers were massed along the border with Gaza yesterday, backed by tanks and artillery.
While turning up the heat on the battlefield, Israel appeared to be sounding out a possible diplomatic exit from its campaign, demanding international monitors as a key term of any future truce.
In mounting the campaign last Saturday, Israel made it clear no one in Hamas was immune, and the air attack that flattened the four-storey apartment building in the northern town of Jebaliya where Nizar Rayan lived drove that message home.
Hamas leaders went into hiding before Israel launched its operation, but Rayan was known for openly defying Israel, and the army said he had a tunnel under his house that could serve as an escape route. Rayan (49) ranked among Hamas' top five decision-makers.
A professor of Islamic law, he was known for his close ties to the group's military wing and was respected in Gaza for personally participating in clashes against Israeli forces.
At least 420 people have been killed and 2,100 injured since Israel's aerial bombardment of the Gaza strip began six days ago.
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I wonder how Israel can justify killing so many people
one or 2 Israelis dies compared to 1000's of non Israelis.
War is not the solution rockets is not the solution.
What you give you receive trying being kind firm & loving.
Posted by Russell Roberts | 13.01.09, 16:28 GMT
I fully support Isreal in her unwanted war but she was left with no alternative the U.N would not indeed could not support Isreal as the U.N could not even recognise Isreal in 1948. Isreal stands alone in a region where other nations would see her "wiped of the map"
Who will you all stand with at Armageddon Gog & Magog or Yeshua ?
Posted by David | 04.01.09, 12:02 GMT
Only republicans could support the 7th century jihadists like hamas considering the IRA have been in bed with the palestinian merchants of death for decades. IRA trained snipers and IRA bombs have killed Israeli servicemen and civilians a like for many years.
The jihadists are the ones at fault in all of this, like they were at fault when they bombed London, New York/Washington, Madrid, Mumbai and countless of other atrocities they have committed. It is a single, global war and we should be lucky that Israel and not us are fighting in the frontlines.
Posted by Ben | 03.01.09, 13:08 GMT
I'm sad to live in a world where being critical of Isreal makes you an anti-semite. Especially when if you take the opposite stance and speak out against the actions of Hamas or the palestinians, well you're some kind of hero. This blind support for Isreal needs to end.
Posted by Kyle | 02.01.09, 21:18 GMT
Both sides are despicable. This will never, ever end. How could it?
Posted by Deirdre | 02.01.09, 19:19 GMT
This land belonged to the Palestinians and has been annexed by Israel for over 50 years. 4m people have been displaced and made stateless for a generation, they are imprisoned and have no food, water, electrical or medical supplies other than those pushed through the flap in the prison door. The Palestinians have no functioning government; they feel entirely disenfranchised from the world. Indeed The world is not listening and America has been in support of a roadmap to nowhere for years. Wake up! Might not this explain why people tie explosives to themselves and fire rockets into Israel.
Posted by Bernard | 02.01.09, 18:46 GMT
The IDF telephoned the house BEFORE bombing it, and warned whoever answered that the house was about to be bombed. The IDF observed people leaving the house shortly afterwards. How many times have Hamas rockets been sent over with advance warnings? Urmm... none.
Posted by Give_me_a_break | 02.01.09, 18:28 GMT
You guys are kidding me right? It seems to me, that you always hear the bleeding heart "Oh the poor Hamas". Let me tell you, what you do NOT hear is how a terrorist from Hamas killed some of my friends family with a suicide bomber! Where were the headlines when that happened?
Where were the headlines when Hamas sends in those people ready to blow themselves up for a place in heaven? How dare you people sit here and blame Israel for what it has done... These families that have lost loved ones, I feel sorry for. I know, because I have seen it first hand.
I don't hear any one talking about the MILLION'S of people in the Congo that have died! Where is your outrage about that? The MSM doesn't report anything about that. We sit here and smile and laugh, enjoy good food, wine, play games, read web pages, post comments, go to work, live our lives as if none of the death and destruction in the Congo is happening.
Wake up people! The next attack just might be near you!
Posted by Scott | 02.01.09, 18:24 GMT
Why all the bleeding hearts for the Palestinians? Because theirs are the only hearts actually bleeding and Israel over the years has proved itself to be a discrace to humanity.
Posted by Alan Haring | 02.01.09, 18:23 GMT
How many Palestinians have died vs Isrealies. Do the Isrealies understand the word overkill. Has their methods worked in the last ten years
Posted by Bill | 02.01.09, 16:49 GMT
How could Palestine have brought this upon themselves, Andy, when they were invaded by the zionists? If an intruder enters your bedroom while you are asleep, ready to kill you and steal your house, is it fair to say that you brought it upon yourself?
Posted by skopp | 02.01.09, 16:01 GMT
Israelis are Terrorists. This is sickening.
Posted by Scott | 02.01.09, 14:36 GMT
Isreal is a disgrace.
Posted by Tom | 02.01.09, 12:32 GMT
Maybe President-Elect Obama will seriously threaten Israel with withdrawal of US support or arming Hamas to defend itself, the maybe governments will see the necessity of Peace. When ISrael is unconditionally supported in its terrorism, while punishing Hamas for the equivalent of sending bottle rockets over into Israel (to to demean their terror potential, but how many people have these unaimed rockets killed versus the thousands Isreal kills in retaliation.)
Posted by Jim_Boston | 02.01.09, 11:33 GMT
Indeed Jade, this is what one would call pure terrorism. It´s just incredible. And the worst of all ? They will, as always, get away with it.
Posted by Peter Jones | 02.01.09, 09:48 GMT
A one ton bomb in a residential neighbourhood, to kill one man. Perhaps the man they killed is dangerous - but the Israeli leaders are just as guilty of wanton destruction as their Palestinian counterparts.
Posted by Julien | 02.01.09, 04:51 GMT
Ahh yes. US tax dollars at work! Living in Northern Ireland we all know the devastation a bomb of few hundred pounds can cause. Israel kills this man by dropping a one-tonne bomb into a residential neighbourhood? How can anyone justify carrying out this collective punishment in defiance of all international laws and norms? Don't forget that long before the Israeli Government's started this bombing campaign it cut the flow of fuel and electricity to the Gaza Strip - also a form of collective punishment of the civilian population, which again violates Israel’s obligations under the laws of war.
This isn't war - this is terrorism on a massive scale - and the United States is funding it.
Posted by Jade Montague | 02.01.09, 04:38 GMT