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CNN Live At Daybreak

Palestinians Mourn Death of Hamas Leader

Aired August 22, 2003 - 06:31   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about the Middle East right now. Palestinians are mourning the death of senior Hamas leader Ismail Abu Shanab. Right now, huge crowds are gathered at a Gaza mosque for his funeral.
Hamas says the attack ends the cease-fire, the attack on this Hamas leader, I should say. It has issued a joint statement with Islamic Jihad. Israel says the cease-fire actually ended with the Tuesday bus attack in Jerusalem that killed 20 people. Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad are claiming responsibility for that attack.

Now, despite this week's violence, Secretary of State Colin Powell urges both sides not to give up on that so-called road map to peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The end of the road map is a cliff that both sides will fall off of, and so we have to understand the consequences of the end of the road map. So, it is not the end of the road map.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Oh, but a lot of people differ with that opinion. Emotion is so high in Gaza City right now; 20,000 or 30,000 are at the funeral of that Hamas leader, the leader that was killed in that Israeli airstrike.

So, let's go live to the phone lines and Michael Holmes.

The body of this Hamas leader has just passed you, so it's quite loud. Hopefully, you can hear us.

Good morning -- Michael.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Yes, I've had to actually escape to our armored vehicle to be able to talk to you. The noise is deafening. Gunshots are ringing in the air. The crowd is chanting. It's a very emotional scene.

As you point out, the body of Ismail Abu Shanab has just passed us by here, on its way now to the cemetery, where he will be laid to rest. The bodies of his bodyguards are also with him. Of course, two bodyguards killed with him in that missile strike in Gaza City yesterday. A very emotional funeral and a very angry one as well -- emotional, because this is a man, Abu Shanab, who was well-regarded on the streets by Palestinians, seen by ordinary Palestinians and also independent analysts as something of a moderating voice within Hamas, which we have to point out, of course, is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. and by Israel. He was on the political side. Israel says that makes no difference. He was a valid target.

Palestinians beg to differ, and they do so with great gusto. The chants that have been coming out throughout the last two and a half hours of this funeral have been continuing, have been that the road map is over, the cease-fire is over, blood will be spilled. There was a sign out in the front of Ismail Abu Shanab's house, and that sign said, "Hamas will avenge the martyr's blood."

It is a very hot day in Gaza, and not just the weather -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding. Israel is on high alert, as we've said. Michael Holmes reporting live for us by phone inside an armored vehicle in 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 August 22, 2003 - 06:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about the Middle East right now. Palestinians are mourning the death of senior Hamas leader Ismail Abu Shanab. Right now, huge crowds are gathered at a Gaza mosque for his funeral.
Hamas says the attack ends the cease-fire, the attack on this Hamas leader, I should say. It has issued a joint statement with Islamic Jihad. Israel says the cease-fire actually ended with the Tuesday bus attack in Jerusalem that killed 20 people. Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad are claiming responsibility for that attack.

Now, despite this week's violence, Secretary of State Colin Powell urges both sides not to give up on that so-called road map to peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The end of the road map is a cliff that both sides will fall off of, and so we have to understand the consequences of the end of the road map. So, it is not the end of the road map.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Oh, but a lot of people differ with that opinion. Emotion is so high in Gaza City right now; 20,000 or 30,000 are at the funeral of that Hamas leader, the leader that was killed in that Israeli airstrike.

So, let's go live to the phone lines and Michael Holmes.

The body of this Hamas leader has just passed you, so it's quite loud. Hopefully, you can hear us.

Good morning -- Michael.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Yes, I've had to actually escape to our armored vehicle to be able to talk to you. The noise is deafening. Gunshots are ringing in the air. The crowd is chanting. It's a very emotional scene.

As you point out, the body of Ismail Abu Shanab has just passed us by here, on its way now to the cemetery, where he will be laid to rest. The bodies of his bodyguards are also with him. Of course, two bodyguards killed with him in that missile strike in Gaza City yesterday. A very emotional funeral and a very angry one as well -- emotional, because this is a man, Abu Shanab, who was well-regarded on the streets by Palestinians, seen by ordinary Palestinians and also independent analysts as something of a moderating voice within Hamas, which we have to point out, of course, is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. and by Israel. He was on the political side. Israel says that makes no difference. He was a valid target.

Palestinians beg to differ, and they do so with great gusto. The chants that have been coming out throughout the last two and a half hours of this funeral have been continuing, have been that the road map is over, the cease-fire is over, blood will be spilled. There was a sign out in the front of Ismail Abu Shanab's house, and that sign said, "Hamas will avenge the martyr's blood."

It is a very hot day in Gaza, and not just the weather -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding. Israel is on high alert, as we've said. Michael Holmes reporting live for us by phone inside an armored vehicle in 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.