2004 Ashdod Port bombings
The 2004 Ashdod Port bombings were two suicide bombings carried out nearly simultaneously on March 14, 2004 at the Port of Ashdod in Ashdod, Israel. As a result, 10 civilians were killed and 16 were injured. Hamas and Fatah claimed joint responsibility for the attack.
| 2004 Ashdod Port bombings | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign | |
 Port of Ashdod in 2006 | |
  The attack site | |
| Location | Ashdod, Israel |
| Coordinates | 31°49′49″N 34°38′29″E |
| Date | March 14, 2004 16:20 pm |
Attack type | Suicide bombing |
| Deaths | 10 civilians (+2 bombers) |
| Injured | 16 civilians |
| Perpetrators | Hamas and Fatah claimed responsibility |
No. of participants | 2 |
The attack
- Memorial for the attack victims
On Sunday, March 14, 2004, two Palestinian suicide bombers who wore explosive belts hidden underneath their clothes approached the Port of Ashdod. Despite the vast security arrangements at the compound, the two suicide bombers managed to infiltrate into the compound.
At 16:20 pm the suicide bombers detonated their explosive devices - one exploded himself in an office building inside the compound, and the other exploded after a few moments at the entrance to the compound. The force of the blast killed ten civilians, most of them were port workers, and injured 16 others.
The perpetrators and Israeli response
Hamas and Fatah claimed joint responsibility for the attack and stated that the attack was carried out by two 18-year-olds from the Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.[1] The two assailants managed to infiltrate Israel from Gaza by hiding in a container that went through the Karni Crossing.[2] A Hamas leader in Gaza stated that the original plan was that the suicide bombers would blow up fuel tanks at the port; Israel said the bombers intended to carry out a "mega attack" with hundreds of casualties, but instead blew themselves up hundreds of meters from the tanks.[2] Later on it was revealed that the attack was financed and directed by Nizar Rayan.[3] In response, Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin was killed along with his bodyguards in a strike by Israeli helicopters in Gaza City.[4]
References
- Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Suicide Bombing at Ashdod Port". Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- "Port Blast". Maritime Workers Journal. 2004. Archived from the original on 2006-08-23. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
- Katz, Yaakov (2 January 2009). "IDF kills top Hamas terrorist Rayyan". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- "Israeli missile strike kills Hamas founder". Chicago Tribune. March 22, 2004. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013.
External links
- Suicide blasts kill 11 Israelis - published on BBC News on March 14, 2004
- Bomb fiends kill 11 - Israel cancels this week's summit - published on New York Post on March 15, 2004
- Suicide bombers kill 10 at Israeli port - published on The Guardian on March 15, 2004
- Suicide Bombers Kill 10 in Israel, And Derail Prime Ministers' Talks - published on The New York Times on March 15, 2004
