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CNN Live Today

Hamas Claims Responsibility for Blast

Aired July 31, 2002 - 12:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: From all indications, it wasn't a suicide bombing that killed seven people today at Hebrew University, but a bomb left in a handbag in a school cafeteria. The Islamic group, Hamas, is said to be claiming responsibility, calling the bloodshed a reprisal attack for Israel's killing of a top Hamas leader and several civilians last week in Gaza.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel is in East Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The place where, again, death and devastation came to Jerusalem, here inside the Hebrew University at Mount Scopus campus cafeteria, a crowded cafeteria at lunchtime.

And it was here, just over here, that the bomber apparently struck, setting off his explosives. This was the place which bore the brunt of the explosion, wreaking the worst of the devastation.

And as we walk around this now cafeteria, where the cleanup is going on, there on the floor are still remains of a bloody pen, of a broken knife, and on the wall you can see some of those bloodstains still there of some of the casualties. And this is the -- on the floor again, some of the uneaten lunches that remained behind, a salad now downtrodden.

And this is the cafeteria scene. It was a self-service place where many, many, and there might have been as many as 100 people in the cafeteria at the time, were taking their lunches and going to sit down at the tables and chairs in this very, very popular cafeteria.

It is a scene of absolute destruction here, and it came, this bombing, at a time just when -- after Ariel Sharon's security cabinet had convened again to try to work out ways to combat what seems to be a latest wave, a new wave, of Palestinian bombings.

This time the Israeli police believe it was not a suicide bombing, but a bomb left in a bag. But either way, it seems now an increasingly desperate Israeli attempt to find that way to curve the bombers completely.

Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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