Abd al-Aziz al-Rantisi has been killed!

[Dan]

Bismillah

Top Hamas leader Abd al-Aziz al-Rantisi has been killed by an Israeli helicopter missile strike on his car in Gaza City.

Two of al-Rantisi's bodyguards were also killed in the attack on Saturday evening.

Medics said al-Rantisi was rushed to a Gaza City hospital in a critical condition after the attack. He had reportedly been wounded in the head with shrapnel.

Hundreds of outraged Hamas members and supporters flocked to the hospital after news of the Israeli raid.

The air strike occurred hours after an Israeli border policeman was killed by a Palestinian bomber at the Erez crossing on the Israeli-Gaza border.

No immediate comment was available from the Israeli army on the helicopter strike.

Co-founder

Al-Rantisi, a co-founder of Hamas, has become one of its two main leaders since Israel's killing of Hamas spiritual head Ahmad Yasin in Gaza on 22 March.

Israel tried to kill al-Rantisi, the public face of a Palestinian resistance group that normally stays in the shadows, last June.

On that occasion he and his teenage son were wounded in an Israeli helicopter missile strike on his car, also in Gaza City.

Al-Rantisi had refused to go into hiding like many of his comrades on Israel's wanted list since Hamas launched a human bombing campaign to spearhead a three and a half-year-old Palestinian uprising.

Political role

He had long depicted himself as a Hamas politician with no links to the military wing.

But Israel had refused to accept the distinction, accusing him of being a top decision-maker on attacks and of using his media role to incite violence.

With al-Rantisi filling the role of Hamas spokesman, camera crews from around the world have trooped to his modestly furnished living room to hear him issue vows of revenge, often in calm, even tones, for Israel's killing of resistance activists.

Reactions:

Dr Abd al-Aziz al-Rantisi died within minutes of arriving at Gaza City hospital, where thousands of angry supporters congregated after the Apache helicopter gunship attack on his car.

Regional and international reaction has followed swiftly after the air raid on Saturday that killed the 56-year-old Hamas spokesman and the two passengers - one of whom was al-Rantisi's son - travelling in his car.

"The British government has made it repeatedly clear that so-called 'targeted assassinations' of this kind are unlawful, unjustified and counter-productive."

Jack Straw, British Foreign Secretary

"We ask the international community to enforce the Geneva Convention and send an international protection force to the Palestinian territories immediately."

Saib Uraiqat, the Palesitnian negotiation minister

"Al-Rantisi's blood will not flow in vain."

Ismail Haniya, a possible contender to replace al-Rantisi

"We cannot fail to be pleased with this operation for it is necessary to continue to eliminate the terrorists as we did with Yasin."

Uzi Landau, Israeli minister without portfolio

"The mercy of God upon al-Rantisi ... Israel commits crimes and is rewarded by the American president. When it commits state terrorism, it gets promises."

Nabil Shaath, Palestinian minister

"We condemn this. It is state-terrorism and this is clear proof that Israel cannot live in a climate of stability. They do not want a climate of stability. They need a climate of tension and violence."

Hussam Zaki, Arab league spokesman

"Israel has been given a free hand by the United States to continue its policy of destruction, of siege, of assassination. Right now what is happening is very dangerous. You are closing off all options. You are saying to the Palestinians: 'You have no political recourse, no recourse to the law, no justice anywhere'."

Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian law maker

"Al-Rantisi's only crime was to say things Israel does not want to hear. Just like Shaikh Yasin's murder, al-Rantisi's death proves Israel does not accept freedom of speech. Your tongue can make you a 'terrorist'."

Demonstrator outside Palestinian hospital in Gaza City

"Our revenge will be swift and strong"

Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades supporters

from:http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage

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