Killing of Ahmed Yassin

On 22 March 2004, the Palestinian militant leader and one of the founders of the Hamas movement, Ahmed Yassin, 67, was assassinated in Gaza City. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was returning from performing the Fajr prayer,[1] and his companions, who were also killed immediately.[2] His assassination caused a state of anger and Palestinian factions vowed revenge, with Hamas saying that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon "opened the gates of hell." Shortly after the attack, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi took over the leadership of the movement in the Gaza Strip.[3]

Killing of Ahmed Yassin
Date22 March 2004 (2004-03-22)
LocationSabra, Gaza Strip
TypeMissiles fired from helicopters
CauseMilitary operations against Israel
MotiveInflict damage to Hamas leadership
TargetAhmed Yassin
PerpetratorIDF
Deaths10

Yassin survived an attempt on his life on 6 September 2003.[4] According to Israeli radio, Sharon personally supervised the attack on Yassin.[5]

Killing

The assassination occurred approximately one week following the 2004 Ashdod Port bombings.

Reactions

Domestic
  •  Palestinian National Authority – President Yasser Arafat and the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization expressed their profound condemnation of the assassination. They urged all Palestinians to observe a period of mourning lasting three days. In a statement, "President Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian leadership expressed strong condemnation for the assassination of the revered leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, referring to him as a heroic warrior and martyr. They considered this act as a flagrant violation beyond acceptable limits. The Palestinian authorities urged all Palestinians, both within the region and abroad, to observe a three-day mourning period in honor of Sheikh Yassin, who was tragically killed by an Israeli military operation in Gaza." The leadership urged the Palestinians to come together, unite, and foster cohesion.[6] The killing was strongly condemned by Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei. He described it as a "severe and abhorrent act" during a press conference outside Arafat's office in Ramallah. Qurei emphasized that "the purpose behind this action was to perpetuate violence and called upon the Quartet and the United States to put an end to Israel's reckless behavior." He urged them "to recognize the value of Palestinian lives", stating that "enough was enough and that the Quartet and the United States should intervene to halt Israel's irrational conduct."
  •  Hamas – Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi announced during a public event in Gaza that he is taking on the role of leading Hamas and emphasized the importance of unity, alignment, and staying true to the movement's principles. "We need to come together and stand strong in the trenches of resistance. We will not give up, and we shouldn't, when faced with acts of Zionist terrorism. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin serves as our symbol, and we will follow the same principles and work towards the objectives that Sheikh Ahmed Yassin held dear."[3]
  •  Israel – Finance minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the targeted killing.[7]

International

References
  1. "Yassin was ideological force behind Hamas". NBC News. 22 March 2004.
  3. Hill, Don (8 April 2008). "Middle East: Rantisi, Mashal Chosen To Lead Hamas After Yassin Assassination". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – via www.rferl.org.
  4. "CNN.com - Hamas founder targeted in Gaza airstrike - Sep. 6, 2003". www.cnn.com.
  5. "The life and death of Shaikh Yasin". www.aljazeera.com.
  6. "إغتيال الشيخ أحمد ياسين:ردود الفعل العربية والدولية". 22 March 2004.
  8. "Solana afirma que el asesinato de Yasin "es una noticia muy mala para el proceso de paz"". 22 March 2004.
  9. "كونا : الشيخ صباح الاحمد يعرب عن حزنه لاغتيال الشيخ ياسين - الشؤون السياسية - 22/03/2004".
  10. "فضل الله: بوش هو القاتل في هذه الجريمة".
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