Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

The Izz ad-Din[note 1] al-Qassam Brigades (abbreviated as IQB;[9] Arabic: كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام, lit. 'Battalions of martyr Izz ad-Din al-Qassam'; often shortened to Al-Qassam Brigades[10][11]), named after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, is the military wing of the Palestinian organization Hamas.[9][12][13] Currently led by Mohammed Deif and his deputy, Marwan Issa, IQB is the largest and best-equipped group operating within Gaza today.[9]

Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام
LeadersMohammed Deif
Marwan Issa
Dates of operation1991–present
HeadquartersGaza Strip
Active regions Palestine
 Israel
 Lebanon
IdeologyPalestinian self-determination
Sunni Islamism[1]
Islamic fundamentalism[2]
Palestinian nationalism
Notable attacksMehola Junction bombing, Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing, Matza restaurant suicide bombing, Patt Junction bus bombing, Kiryat Menachem bus bombing
Size15,000–40,000[3][4]
Part of Hamas
Allies
Opponents
Battles and warsIsraeli–Palestinian conflict

Created in mid-1991,[10] it was at the time concerned with blocking the Oslo Accords negotiations.[14][15] From 1994 to 2000, the Al-Qassam Brigades has claimed responsibility for carrying out a number of attacks against Israelis.[9]

At the beginning of the Second Intifada, the group became a central target of Israel. The group's strength and its ability to carry out complex and lethal attacks surprised many observers. The Al-Qassam Brigades operated several cells in the West Bank, but most of them were destroyed by 2004 following numerous operations of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the region. In contrast, Hamas retained a forceful presence in the Gaza Strip, generally considered its stronghold. Yahya Sinwar, Hamas political leader in the Gaza Strip since February 2017, is a military leader in the Brigades in Gaza.[16][17]

The Al-Qassam Brigades are explicitly listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union,[18] Australia,[11] New Zealand,[19] Egypt,[20] and the United Kingdom.[21][22] Though not explicitly mentioning IQB, the United States[23][24] and Canada[25] have designated its parent entity, Hamas, as a terrorist organization;[26] Brigade leader Mohammed Deif has also been classified as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US under Executive Order 13224.[27][28] As the Brigades undertake military activity on behalf of Hamas, "organized terrorist activities associated with Hamas can be reliably attributed to the Brigades."[11]

Overview

The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades is the military wing of the Palestinian organization Hamas, operating in the Gaza Strip.[9][12] It is currently led by Mohammed Deif and its deputy, Marwan Issa.[9]

Izz ad-Din al-Qassam

The Al-Qassam Brigades is named after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, a Muslim preacher and mujahid in Mandatory Palestine.[10][29] In 1930, al-Qassam organised and established the Black Hand, a militant organisation that was opposed to Zionism and British and French rule in the Levant.[29]

According to the Al-Qassam Brigades, its aims are:

To contribute in the effort of liberating Palestine and restoring the rights of the Palestinian people under the sacred Islamic teachings of the Holy Quran, the Sunnah (traditions) of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the traditions of Muslims rulers and scholars noted for their piety and dedication.[10]

In summary, the Brigades seek to establish an Islamist state of Palestine, comprising Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel—ending Israel as a political entity in the process.[11]

Organisation and structure

The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades are an integral part of Hamas. While they are subordinate to Hamas's broad political goals and its ideological objectives, they have a significant level of independence in decision making.[11] In 1997, political scientists Ilana Kass and Bard O'Neill described Hamas' relationship with the Brigades as reminiscent of Sinn Féin's relationship to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and quoted a senior Hamas official: "The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigade is a separate armed military wing, which has its own leaders who do not take their orders [from Hamas] and do not tell us of their plans in advance."[30] Carrying the IRA analogy further, Kass and O'Neill argued that the separation of the political and military wings shielded Hamas' political leaders from responsibility for terrorism while the plausible deniability this provided made Hamas an eligible representative for peace negotiations as had happened with Sinn Féin politician Gerry Adams.[31]

The fighters' identities and positions in the group often remain secret until their death; even when they fight against Israeli incursions, all the militants wear a characteristic black hood on which the group's green headband is attached. The Brigades operate on a model of independent cells and even high-ranking members are often unaware of the activities of other cells. This allows the group to consistently regenerate after member deaths. During the Al-Aqsa Intifada, the leaders of the group were targeted by numerous airstrikes that killed many members, including Salah Shahade and Adnan al-Ghoul. The current leader of the Brigades, Mohammed Deif, remains at large and is said to have survived at least five assassination attempts.[32]

Notable members

History

Background

In 1984, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Ibrahim al-Makhadmeh, Sheikh Salah Shehada, and others began preparing for the establishment of an armed organization to resist Israeli control, with a focus on acquiring weapons for future resistance activities. Members of the group were, however, arrested and the weapons were confiscated.[10]

In 1986, Shehada formed a network of resistance cells, called al-Mujahidun al-Filastiniun ('Palestinian fighters'), who targeted Israeli troops and "traitors." This network operated until 1989, with their most famous operation being the kidnapping and killing of two Israeli soldiers: Avi Sasportas and Ilan Saadon.[10][35]

Hamas was officially established soon after, on 14 December 1987, forming other similar networks as al-Mujahidun al-Filastiniun, such as the Abdullah Azzam Brigades. In mid-1991, in during the First Palestinian Intifada (1987–1994), the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades was established to provide Hamas with a paramilitary capability, thereafter becoming known as the armed branch of Hamas.[10][11]

Contemporary operations and activities

The international community, and more specifically the United Nations, considers the practice of war combatants to turn civilians into human shields as a violation of the Geneva Conventions standards of war,[36][37][38] and considers indiscriminate attacks (e.g., by rockets or suicide bombers)[39] on civilian populations as illegal under international law.[40]

The IQB's transition into a recognised militant organisation began during the establishment of the Oslo Accords to assist Hamas efforts in blocking them.[41] In 2003 and 2004, the Brigades in Gaza resisted incursions by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), including the siege of Jabalya in October 2004. However, these battles took a heavy toll in the IQB's ranks, which suffered heavy losses. The group, however, continued to gain strength and remained capable of carrying out attacks in the following years. The Brigades can count on a large pool of people willing to join them , smuggle in supplies and provide the fighters with homemade weapons such as the al-Bana, the Batar, the Yasin and the Qassam rocket.[11]

Also in 2005, President Mahmoud Abbas had taken direct control of the PA security forces which was loyal to the president's Fatah movement, and the Hamas government formed a separate 3,000-strong paramilitary police force in the Gaza Strip, called Executive Force,[42] which was made up of members of the Al-Qassam Brigades.[43][44][45][46]

In June and July 2006, the Al-Qassam Brigades were involved in the operation which led to the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, and in the subsequent heavy fighting in the Gaza Strip following Operation Summer Rains, launched by the IDF. It was the first time in over 18 months that the brigades were actively involved in fighting against Israeli soldiers. In May 2007, the brigades acknowledged they lost 192 fighters during the operation.[47]

In January 2007, Abbas outlawed the Executive Force and ordered that its then-6,000 members be incorporated into the PA security forces under his command. The order was resisted by the Hamas government,[48] which instead announced plans to double the size of the force to 12,000 men.[49] The Al-Qassam Brigades and the Executive Force took part in the Hamas takeover of Gaza in June 2007.

In June 2008, Egypt brokered a ceasefire, which lasted until 4 November when Israeli forces crossed into Gaza and killed six Hamas fighters; this resulted in an increase in rocket attacks on Israel, going from two in September and October to 190 in November. Both sides claimed the other had broken the truce.[11]

Armed strength

Since its establishment in December 1987, the military capability of the Brigades has increased markedly, from rifles to Qassam rockets and more.[50]

The Brigades have a substantial inventory of light automatic weapons and grenades, improvised rockets, mortars, bombs, suicide belts, and explosives. The group engages in military-style training, including training that takes place in Gaza itself on a range of weapons designed to inflict significant casualties on civilian and military targets.[51]

The Brigades also have a variety of anti-tank guided missiles including the Kornet-E, Konkurs-M, Bulsae-2 (North Korean version of Fagot), 9K11 Malyutka and MILAN missiles, as well as shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles (MANPADS), such as the SA-7B, SA-18 Igla missiles, and it is believed a number of SA-24 Igla-S that it received from Libya.

While the number of members is known only to the Brigades leadership, in 2011 Israel estimated that the Brigades have a cadre of several hundred members who receive military-style training, including training in Iran and Syria.[52] Additionally, the Brigades have an estimated 30,000 operatives "of varying degrees of skill and professionalism" who are members of the internal security forces, Hamas, and their supporters. These operatives can be expected to reinforce the Brigades in an "emergency situation."[53] Other sources estimate their strength at 30,000–50,000.[54]

According to a statement by CIA director George Tenet in 2000 possibly referring to the Brigades, Hamas has pursued a capability to conduct attacks with toxic chemicals.[50] There have been reports of Hamas operatives planning and preparing attacks incorporating chemicals. In one case, nails and bolts packed into explosives detonated by a Hamas suicide bomber in a December 2001 attack in the Ben-Yehuda street in Jerusalem were soaked in rat poison.[50] In 2014 they launched the first Palestinian reconnaissance (UAV) aircraft called Ababeel1.

List of the Brigades' attacks against Israeli targets
Attacks following the First Intifada of 1987–1993
Date Event Killed Injured Responsibility claimed
16 April 1993 a Hamas suicide car bomb killed two in Mehola Junction bombing.
19 October 1994 a suicide bomber detonates on a bus in Tel Aviv[55] 22 56 Hamas
25 December 1994 a suicide bomber detonates at a bus stop in Jerusalem[55] 12
9 April 1995 two suicide bombers detonate in Gaza[56] 8 (1 American + 7 IDF soldiers) 50 Hamas
21 August 1995 a suicide bomber detonates on a bus[56] 5 (1 American + 4 IDF soldiers) 100 Hamas
9 September 1996 the abduction and murder of IDF soldier Sharon Edri.[57][58] 1
21 March 1997 a Hamas suicide bomber detonated at a Tel Aviv sidewalk café.[56] 3 women 46
4 September 1997 three suicide bombers detonate in Jerusalem.[59] 4 up to 200 Hamas
27 August 1998 a bomb in a garbage bin explodes in Tel Aviv during rush hour[59] 14 Hamas
19 October 1998 two grenades thrown into a crowd at the Be'er Sheva bus station during rush hour.[60] 59 Hamas
29 October 1998 a Hamas suicide car bomber attempts to ram a school bus head-on near the Gush Katif Junction. An IDF jeep escorting the bus blocked the bomber who detonated the vehicle, killing the driver of the jeep and injuring 2 others. Six people in the bus received light injuries.[60] 1 8
Total 44 545
Attacks following the Second Intifada (September 2000 – 2005)
Date Event Killed Injured Responsibility claimed
1 January 2001 a Hamas suicide car bomber detonates in the city of Netanya. One victim died 7 days later.[61] 1 59
14 February 2001 a Hamas suicide bomber plowed a bus into a crowd and detonated.[62] 8 21
4 March 2001 a Hamas suicide bomber detonates in the city of Netanya.[61] 3 68
28 March 2001 a Hamas suicide bomber blew himself up amidst a group of students waiting at a bus stop in Qalqilya in the West Bank.[61] 2 4
22 April 2001 a Hamas suicide bomber blew himself up Kfar Saba.[61] 1 50
18 May 2001 a Hamas suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance of a shopping mall in the city of Netanya.[61] 5 100+
1 June 2001 Dolphinarium massacre — a suicide bomber linked to Hamas denotes outside a Tel Aviv nightclub.[63][64] 21 (16 teens) 76
9 August 2001 Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing — a suicide bomber detonates in Jerusalem. 15 130 Hamas
4 September 2001 a Hamas suicide bomber detonates in West Jerusalem.[61] 15
26 November 2001 a suicide bomber detonates at the Erez Crossing.[65] 2 Hamas
1 December 2001 two suicide bombers detonated one after the other followed by a car bomb in a mall in West Jerusalem.[65] 11 130+ Hamas
2 December 2001 a suicide bomber boarded an Israeli bus traveling from the Nave Sha'anan district in Haifa; paying the driver with a large bill, he then blew himself.[65] 15 40 Hamas
9 March 2002 a suicide bomber explodes in the crowded Moment café in the center of Jerusalem.[66] 11 54 (10 serious) Hamas
31 March 2002 Matza restaurant massacre — a suicide bomber detonates in an Arab restaurant in Haifa.[67] 15 40+ Hamas
10 April 2002 a suicide bombing on a bus near Kibbutz Yagur, east of Haifa.[67] 8 (6 IDF soldiers + 2 civilians) 22 Hamas
7 May 2002 a suicide bombing in a crowded pool hall in Rishon Lezion, southeast of Tel-Aviv.[68] 16 55 Hamas
19 May 2002 a suicide bomber disguised as a soldier, blew himself up in the market in Netanya.[68] 3 59 Hamas and the PFLP
18 June 2002 Patt junction massacre — a suicide bomber detonates on a bus in Jerusalem. 19 74+ Hamas
16 July 2002 a terrorist attack on a bus traveling from Bnei Brak to Emmanuel, wherein an explosive charge was detonated next to the bullet-resistant bus. The terrorists waited in ambush, reportedly wearing Israeli army uniforms, and opened fire on the bus.[69] 9 20 Hamas, Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, and the DFLP
31 July 2002 a cell-phone detonated bomb exploded in the Frank Sinatra student center cafeteria on the Hebrew University's Mt. Scopus campus.[70] 9 (5 Americans) 85 Hamas (expressed regret for the American deaths)
4 August 2002 a suicide bombing of an Egged bus takes place at the Meron junction in the Galilee.[71] 9 ~50 Hamas
27 February 2008 during February 2008, 257 rockets and 228 mortars were fired from the Gaza Strip into the western Negev causing 5 injuries, and on 27 February, the death of a 47-year-old student at Sapir College. Hamas has previously claimed responsibility for rocket barrages.[72] 1 Hamas
Total 182 1,104+

Leaders killed by Israel or other causes

On 3 September 2005, after Israel's withdrawal from settlements in the Gaza Strip, the Al-Qassam Brigrades revealed for the first time the names and functions of its commanders on its website as well as in a printed bulletin distributed to Palestinians.[73]

On 12 July 2006, the Israeli Air Force bombed a house in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, where Mohammed Deif, Ahmad al-Ghandur and Raid Said were meeting. The three-story house was completely leveled, killing Hamas official Nabil al-Salmiah, his wife, their five children and two other children. Two of the three brigades leaders present escaped with moderate wounds while Deif received a spinal injury that required four hours of surgery.[74]

On 1 January 2009, Nizar Rayan, a top Hamas leader who served as a liaison between the Palestinian organization's political leadership and its military wing, was killed in an Israeli Air Force strike during Operation Cast Lead.[75] The day before the attack, Rayan had advocated renewal of suicide attacks on Israel, declaring, "Our only language with the Jew is through the gun".[76] A 2,000-pound bomb was dropped on his house, also killing his 4 wives (Hiam 'Abdul Rahman Rayan, 46; Iman Khalil Rayan, 46; Nawal Isma'il Rayan, 40; and Sherine Sa'id Rayan, 25) and 11 of their children (As'ad, 2; Usama Ibn Zaid, 3; 'Aisha, 3; Reem, 4; Miriam, 5; Halima, 5; 'Abdul Rahman, 6; Abdul Qader, 12; Aaya, 12; Zainab, 15; and Ghassan, 16).[77][78][79][80][81]

On 3 January 2009, Israeli aircraft attacked the car in which Abu Zakaria al-Jamal, a leader of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam armed wing, was traveling. He subsequently died of the wounds suffered in the bombing.[82] The following day, the Israeli Air Force struck and killed in Khan Yunis two senior Brigrade leaders, Hussam Hamdan and Muhammad Hilo, both of whom the Israelis blamed for attacks against Israel. According to Israeli authorities Hamdan was in charge of rocket attacks against Beersheba and Ofakim, while Hilo was reportedly behind Hamas' special forces in Khan Yunis.[83]

On 15 January 2009, the Israeli Air Force bombed a house in Jabaliya, killing a prominent Brigades commander named Mohammed Watfa (the strike targeted the Palestinian Interior Minister Said Seyam, who was also killed).[84]

On 30 July 2010, one of the leaders Issa Abdul-Hadi Al-Batran, aged 40, was killed at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip by an Israeli airstrike.[85]

On 14 November 2012, Ahmed Jaabari, the head of the Al-Qassam Brigade, was killed along with seven others in Gaza marking the beginning of Israel's "Operation Pillar of Defense".[13][86]

On 21 August 2014, an Israeli air strike killed Muhammad Abu Shamala, the sub-commander of Southern Gaza Strip; Raed al Atar, the commander of the Rafah company and member of the Hamas high military council; and Mohammed Barhoum.[87]

On 30 January 2018, Imad Al-Alami died as a result of injuries sustained while he was inspecting his personal weapon in Gaza City.[88]

International response

The international community, and more specifically the United Nations, considers the practice of war combatants to turn civilians into human shields as a violation of the Geneva Conventions standards of war,[36][37][38] and considers indiscriminate attacks (e.g., by rockets or suicide bombers)[39] on civilian populations as illegal under international law.[40]

As the Brigades undertake military activity on behalf of Hamas, "organized terrorist activities associated with Hamas can be reliably attributed to the Brigades."[11]

The Al-Qassam Brigades are explicitly listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union,[18] Australia,[11] New Zealand,[19] Egypt,[20] and the United Kingdom.[21][22] Though not explicitly mentioning IQB, the United States[23][24] and Canada[25] have designated its parent entity, Hamas, as a terrorist organization;[26] Brigade leader Mohammed Deif has also been classified as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US under Executive Order 13224.[27][28]

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

Notes
  1. Also spelt Izzedine or Ezzedeen

References
    • Islamic fundamentalism in the West Bank and Gaza: Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic Jihad, by Ziyād Abū 'Amr, Indiana University Press, 1994, pp. 66–72
    • Anti-Semitic Motifs in the Ideology of Hizballah and Hamas, Esther Webman, Project for the Study of Anti-Semitism, 1994. ISBN 978-965-222-592-4
  3. (IISS), International Institute for Strategic Studies (14 February 2018). The Military Balance, 2018, Vol. 118, No. 1, February 2018. Routledge. ISBN 9781857439557.
  4. (in French) Christian Chesnot, Michel Goya : "Militairement, le Hamas monte en gamme depuis 2010", France Culture, 18 May 2021.
  5. "Exclusive: Hamas Official Discusses Decline of Iranian Support". موقع الدكتور عدنان ابو عامر.
  6. "On Sanctioning of Four Financial Facilitators for Hamas – United States Department of State". Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  7. "Evidence shows Hamas militants likely used some North Korean weapons in attack on Israel". Associated Press. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  8. "Hamas arrests Salafi sheikh in Gaza over IS ties". Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  9. "Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (IQB) – Hamas." Mapping Palestinian Politics. European Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2021 May 20.
  10. "About Us". Al-Qassam Brigades Information Office. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  11. "al-Qassam Brigades: Details of the organisation Archived 21 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine." Australian National Security. Australian Government. updated 2018. Retrieved 2021 May 20. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011.
  12. "Al-Quds Brigades says it targets Israeli cities". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  13. "Hamas: The Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza". BBC News. 13 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  14. Cleveland, William L. (1999). A history of the modern Middle East. Westview Press. p. 494. ISBN 978-0-8133-3489-9. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  15. Schanzer, Jonathan (2003). "The Challenge of Hamas to Fatah". The Middle East Quarterly. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  16. Beaumont, Peter (13 February 2017). "Hamas elects hardliner Yahya Sinwar as its Gaza Strip chief". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017.
  17. Balousha, Hazam; Booth, William (13 February 2017). "Hamas names hard-liner as its new political leader in Gaza". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  18. "Council Decision of 21 December 2005" (PDF). Eur-Lex. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  19. "Lists associated with Resolution 1373". New Zealand Police. 20 July 2014. Archived from the original on 2 January 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  20. "La branche armée du Hamas palestinien déclarée "terroriste" en Egypte". rts.ch. 31 January 2015.
  21. "Terrorism Act 2000". Schedule 2, Act No. 11 of 2000. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  22. "Proscribed terrorist groups or organisations". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  23. "Foreign Terrorist Organizations". United States Department of State. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  24. "Country Reports on Terrorism 2004" (PDF). U.S. State Department. April 2005. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  25. "Al-Qassam Brigades | Database." Jihad Intel. Middle East Forum. Retrieved 2021 May 20.
  26. "Currently listed entities". www.publicsafety.gc.ca. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  27. "Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List." U.S. Department of the Treasury. 2021 May 20. Retrieved 2021 May 20.
  28. "Executive Order 13224". United States Department of State. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  29. Segev, Tom (1999). One Palestine, Complete. Metropolitan Books. pp. 360–362. ISBN 0-8050-4848-0.
  30. The Deadly Embrace: The Impact of Israeli and Palestinian Rejectionism on the Peace Process Archived 5 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine University Press of America, Ilana Kass & Bard E. O'Neill, 1997, p. 267
  31. Kass & O'Neill Pg 268
  32. "Profile: Hamas commander Mohammed Deif". BBC News. 26 September 2002. Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  33. Jeroen Gunning; p. 179; Hamas in Politics: Democracy, Religion, Violence, Columbia University Press, 2008, ISBN 0-231-70044-X
  34. Lieber, Dov. "Co-founder of Hamas military wing issues startling apology to Palestinians". Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 23 October 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  35. Najib, Mohammad; Friedrich, Roland (2007). "Non-Statutory Armed Groups and Security Sector Governance". In Friedrich, Roland; Luethold, Arnold (eds.). Entry-points to Palestinian Security Sector Reform, (PDF). Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces. pp. 101–127. ISBN 978-9-292-22061-7.
  36. Berger, Yosef Ari Soffer (10 July 2014). "Seeking Human Shields, Hamas Tells Gazans to Ignore IDF Warnings". Arutz Sheva. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  37. Sidner, Josh Levs, Sara, and Talal Abu-Rahma (15 November 2012). "Rockets pound Israel, Gaza as Netanyahu alleges 'double war crime'". CNN.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  38. Keinon, Herb. "As casualties in Gaza rise, PM accuses Hamas of double war crime". The Jerusalem Post | Jpost.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  39. Kurz, Robert W.; Charles K. Bartles (2007). "Chechen suicide bombers" (PDF). Journal of Slavic Military Studies. Routledge. 20 (4): 529–547. doi:10.1080/13518040701703070. S2CID 96476266. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  40. "Protection of the civilian population". Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977. International Committee of the Red Cross. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  41. Yousef, Mosab (2009). Son of Hamas. Tyndale Housing Publisher. p. 57.
  42. border, Tim Butcher on Israel-Gaza (5 January 2009). "Hamas fighters now a well-organised force". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 27 September 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  43. Friedrich and Luethold–2007, p. 22
  44. "Hamas to expand 'Executive Force'" Archived 29 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Jerusalem Post, 21 December 2006
    "The Executive Force, which was established a few months ago by Interior Minister Said Siam of Hamas, today includes nearly 3,000 members."
  45. "The Palestinian Security Services: Past and Present" Archived 3 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine. MIFTAH, 30 May 2006
  46. "Hamas-Led Government Deploys Security Force, Defying Abbas" Archived 28 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine. New York Times, 17 May 2006
  47. www.alqassam.ps https://web.archive.org/web/20070528131219/http://www.alqassam.ps/arabic/wfaa_alahrar/sohdaa1.htm. Archived from the original on 28 May 2007. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  48. "Abbas outlaws Hamas's paramilitary Executive Force" Archived 17 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Richard Boudreaux, The Boston Globe, 7 January 2007
  49. "Hamas defiant on 'illegal' force" Archived 28 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine. BBC News, 6 January 2007
  50. "Hamas's Tactics: Lessons from Recent Attacks", by Jamie Chosak and Julie Sawyer. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 19 October 2005
  51. "Error". 2 June 2022. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022.
  52. "Hamas's Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades". AG. Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  53. The HAMAS Terror Organization – 2007 update Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  54. Omer, Mohammed. "Hamas growing in military stature, say analysts". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 21 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  55. Anthony Cordesman and Jennifer Moravitz The Israeli-Palestinian War: Escalating to Nowhere Greenwood Publishing Group 2005 ISBN 9780275987589 Pg 24
  56. Moravitz Pg 25
  57. Weiss, Efrat (11 October 2005). "Senior Hamas fugitive nabbed". Ynetnews.
  58. "Abduction as a Weapon". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  59. Moravitz Pg 26
  60. Moravitz Pg 27
  61. Suicide Attacks In Israel And The Occupied Territories October 2000 to September 2001 Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group Data retrieved from B'Tselem Archived 5 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  62. "Major Palestinian Terror Attacks Since Oslo". Radio Bergen. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  63. O'Sullivan, Arieh (25 November 2001). "No. 1 Hamas terrorist killed. Followers threaten revenge in Tel Aviv". Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  64. Fisher, Ian (29 January 2006). "In Hamas's Overt Hatred, Many Israelis See Hope". New York Times. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  65. Joe Stork Erased in a Moment: Suicide Bombing Attacks Against Israeli Civilians Human Rights Watch 2002 ISBN 9781564322807 Pg 143
  66. Stork Pg 145
  67. Stork Pg 146
  68. Stork Pg 147
  69. Terrorist attack on bus at Emmanuel – 16 July 2002 Israel Ministry of foreign affairs
  70. Bush Is 'Furious' at American Toll in Latest Bombing Archived 7 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine New York Times 1 August 2002
  71. Stork Pg 148
  72. The Hamas war against Israel: A Diary – February 2008 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  73. "Yahoo News – Latest News & Headlines". Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 2005-09-04.
  74. Israel's Most Wanted Man Seriously Injured In Bombing wltx news 12 July 2006
  75. Israel raids kill Hamas leader, take Gaza death toll past 400 AFP, 1 January 2009 Archived 8 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  76. "Israel fells key Hamas strongman, escalating conflict; says it's ready for ground invasion". New York Daily News. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  77. "Israeli strike kills senior Hamas leader". Reuters. 1 January 2009. Archived from the original on 1 January 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  78. "Strike Kills Hamas Leader as Israel Demands Global Monitors for Truce". FOX News. 1 January 2009. Archived from the original on 4 January 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  79. Haaretz Correspondents and Agencies, Amos Harel and Yoav Stern (2 January 2009). "IDF targets senior Hamas figures". Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  80. "Child casualties mount in besieged Gaza". International Herald Tribune. Associated Press. 1 January 2009. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  81. IOF Offensive on the Gaza Strip Continues for the 7th Consecutive Day Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, 15 January 2009 Archived 13 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  82. McGreal, Chris (3 January 2009). "Israeli ground forces cross border into Gaza". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  83. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  84. "IAF kills Hamas strongman Siam | Confronting Hamas | Jerusalem Post". Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  85. "Hamas leader killed in Israeli airstrike". Sify. 31 July 2010. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  86. "IAF strike kills Hamas military chief Jabari". The Jerusalem Post | Jpost.com. The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  87. Reuters Editorial (21 August 2014). "UPDATE 1-Hamas says Israel killed three top Gaza commanders". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2016. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  88. "Hamas leader dies after receiving life threatening head injury". Middle East Monitor. 30 January 2018. Archived from the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.