(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
In an Israeli security forces operation during the night in the northern Gaza Strip, the IDF targeted a motorcycle carrying two senior Hamas terrorists who were responsible for the deaths of Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers and for the planning of numerous attacks, including suicide bombings, against Israeli targets. The two were also planning additional attacks.
Background information
(Communicated by Israeli security sources)
Wa'al Nasser, a senior Hamas terrorist who had directed numerous attacks against Israelis, among them the suicide attack carried out by a female suicide bomber on January 14, 2004 and a leader of the Qassam rocket project, was killed in an Israeli security forces operation earlier tonight.
Also killed was Muhamed Zarzur, a senior Hamas terrorist who was recently involved in numerous terrorist attacks against Israeli targets and was engaged in the planning of further attacks in the near future, was killed earlier today in an Israeli security forces operation.
Wa'al Nasser, 31, resident of Gaza city, was one of the most senior Hamas terrorists in the Gaza strip.
Nasser was a leader of the Qassam rocket project in the Gaza strip and was the main figure behind the launching of the rockets into Israel. He started as the personal bodyguard of the leader of Hamas, Ahmed Yassin. In August 1995, Nasser was known to be a terrorist carrying out shooting attacks against IDF forces and had intended to carry out a suicide attack. On May 1996, he was arrested by the Palestinian Authority and was released after interrogation according to the 'revolving door' policy.
Ever since his release, Nasser was considered as the leader of Hamas in Gaza city and was responsible for numerous attacks carried out against IDF soldiers and Israeli citizens. Nasser, along with other senior Hamas terrorists, was recently engaged in the planning and carrying out of further attacks against Israeli targets in the Gaza strip and inside Israel.
Wa'al Nasser was directly involved in the planning of suicide and explosive attacks, including:
March 2004 - A joint attack by Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad at the Erez crossing, in which four terrorists carried out the attack in three vehicles, two of which were rigged with explosives.
January 2004 - Suicide attack at the workers terminal in the Erez industrial area, carried out by a female suicide bomber. An Israeli civilian, two IDF soldiers and a Border Policeman were killed, Five Israeli civilians, three IDF soldiers and a Palestinian woman were injured.
April 2003 - Suicide attack in Tel-Aviv's "Mike's Place" Pub. Three Israeli civilians were killed, over 60 injured.
January 2003 - An Attempted attack against an Israeli Navy carrier using an explosive raft.
December 2002 - An attempted infiltration attack at the community of Netzarim in the Gaza Strip.
March 2002 - Infiltration attack in the community of Azmona, southern Gaza strip. Five students killed, 24 injured.
December 2001 - shooting attack against an Israeli vehicle near Elei-Sinai, carried out by two gunmen. An Israeli civilian was killed.
November 2001- An attempted infiltration of suicide bombers from Egypt.
November 2001 - Shooting attack at the Gush Katif junction. An Israeli woman was killed.
Muhamed Zarzur, 30, resident of Zabra, was a senior Hamas terrorist responsible for numerous terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas, and was closely affiliated with the leaders of the terrorist organization.
Zarzur was responsible for numerous attacks carried out by different means and directed operations carried out by terror cells in Gaza city, including the detonation of explosives, the firing of anti-tank missiles at Israeli vehicles on the Karni-Nezarin route and the launching of Qassam rockets at Israeli targets. One of these attacks caused the injury of six Israeli civilians whose bus was targeted by a road side bomb near Nezarim.
Zarzur had been personally involved in the recruitment of terrorists and in the financing and production of weaponry used by Hamas terrorists.
Zarzur had used his house to store caches of Qassam rockets, which were targeted in an IDF operation on June 2003. Fouad Liduay, a member of a terror cell launching Qassam rockets at Israeli targets, was killed in this operation.
Zarzur was the brother-in-law of Saed Irabid, a senior Hamas terrorist and Muhamed Dief's deputy. Zarzur took active part in Irabid's operations.
Zarzur was engaged in the planning of further attacks to be carried out in the near future against Israeli targets and continued to direct explosive devices and rocket attacks against Israelis.