Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Attack in Gaza City
Aired June 10, 2003 - 10:09 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, calls Israel's strike on a Hamas leader a terrorist attack. Israeli leaders launched a gunship strike against Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantissi. He was among the injured, and at least two other people were killed. We begin in Gaza City, the site of the strike, with CNN's Kelly Wallace -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Fredricka, a lot of questions in this region right now about what impact this could all have on this Mideast road map.
There is a lot of anger right now on the streets of Gaza City. Just two hours from now, there will be a funeral for one of the two people killed. One person killed, a body guard to Abdel Aziz Rantissi. The other person killed, a 50-year-old woman believed to be an innocent bystander.
This was the scene earlier this morning when you saw two Israeli Apache helicopter gunships firing six missiles to the ground. The target, Israeli sources say, Abdel Aziz Rantissi. He is one of the most public faces of the radical Palestinian group Hamas here in the Gaza Strip. And Israeli sources say he has been stepping up the incitement and the organizing of terror attacks against Israelis. Israeli sources saying he was the organizer for Sunday's attack, which left four Israeli soldiers dead in the Gaza strip.
Now Rantissi, and his son and two other bodyguards were injured. Rantissi is now in the hospital getting surgery for some shrapnel wounds. Earlier, though, dozens and hundreds of people from the radical group Hamas and others on the streets, calling for more attacks against Israelis, saying that all Israelis are now targets, innocent civilians and political leaders.
Many of the members of Hamas also criticizing Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, calling him a spy, and also having harsh words for Mahmoud Abbas' security chief, Mohammed Daklan (ph).
Now as for Prime Minister Abbas, as you said, Fredricka, he spoke out condemning this attack. He's also calling for immediate involvement by the American administration to stop what he calls the deterioration of the implementation of this Mideast road map. Now under this road map, the Israelis are to stop all military operations in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and to bring an end to What Palestinians call assassinations of militants, what Israelis call targeted killings. There are so many questions right now about exactly why the Israeli military decided to act today. I spoke with a senior Israeli military source, who said that the Israeli military has believed that Rantissi has been involved in leading, and coordinating and inciting terror attacks for a long time.
But they believe he has been stepping up his involvement, rejecting the Mideast road map, rejecting any hopes of a cease-fire, and saying he organized something that was really unprecedented, when you had three major Palestinian militant groups claiming responsibility for Sunday's attacks, which again left four Israeli soldiers dead. Lots of questions right now, Fredricka, about just where this road map goes from here.
WHITFIELD: Lots of questions, indeed, Kelly. It almost seems like, unofficially, both sides are denying any kind of hope for the road map to peace. Thanks very much, from Gaza City.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 10, 2003 - 10:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, calls Israel's strike on a Hamas leader a terrorist attack. Israeli leaders launched a gunship strike against Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantissi. He was among the injured, and at least two other people were killed. We begin in Gaza City, the site of the strike, with CNN's Kelly Wallace -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Fredricka, a lot of questions in this region right now about what impact this could all have on this Mideast road map.
There is a lot of anger right now on the streets of Gaza City. Just two hours from now, there will be a funeral for one of the two people killed. One person killed, a body guard to Abdel Aziz Rantissi. The other person killed, a 50-year-old woman believed to be an innocent bystander.
This was the scene earlier this morning when you saw two Israeli Apache helicopter gunships firing six missiles to the ground. The target, Israeli sources say, Abdel Aziz Rantissi. He is one of the most public faces of the radical Palestinian group Hamas here in the Gaza Strip. And Israeli sources say he has been stepping up the incitement and the organizing of terror attacks against Israelis. Israeli sources saying he was the organizer for Sunday's attack, which left four Israeli soldiers dead in the Gaza strip.
Now Rantissi, and his son and two other bodyguards were injured. Rantissi is now in the hospital getting surgery for some shrapnel wounds. Earlier, though, dozens and hundreds of people from the radical group Hamas and others on the streets, calling for more attacks against Israelis, saying that all Israelis are now targets, innocent civilians and political leaders.
Many of the members of Hamas also criticizing Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, calling him a spy, and also having harsh words for Mahmoud Abbas' security chief, Mohammed Daklan (ph).
Now as for Prime Minister Abbas, as you said, Fredricka, he spoke out condemning this attack. He's also calling for immediate involvement by the American administration to stop what he calls the deterioration of the implementation of this Mideast road map. Now under this road map, the Israelis are to stop all military operations in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and to bring an end to What Palestinians call assassinations of militants, what Israelis call targeted killings. There are so many questions right now about exactly why the Israeli military decided to act today. I spoke with a senior Israeli military source, who said that the Israeli military has believed that Rantissi has been involved in leading, and coordinating and inciting terror attacks for a long time.
But they believe he has been stepping up his involvement, rejecting the Mideast road map, rejecting any hopes of a cease-fire, and saying he organized something that was really unprecedented, when you had three major Palestinian militant groups claiming responsibility for Sunday's attacks, which again left four Israeli soldiers dead. Lots of questions right now, Fredricka, about just where this road map goes from here.
WHITFIELD: Lots of questions, indeed, Kelly. It almost seems like, unofficially, both sides are denying any kind of hope for the road map to peace. Thanks very much, from Gaza City.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
