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CNN Live At Daybreak
Funeral of Leading Hamas Official
Aired August 22, 2003 - 05:07 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: In Israel, it seems like we're just waiting for the next shoe to drop, the next round of violence.
To Gaza City now and Michael Holmes on the funeral of the leading Hamas official.
Michael is joining us live by phone.
And we understand they expect, what, 100,000 people at this funeral?
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, yes, up to 100,000 people. The procession is under way. It's been under way for just over an hour. It's a lengthy affair. The whole procession goes from the hospital morgue to the home of Ismail Abu Shanab, the senior Hamas leader killed in that missile strike yesterday in Gaza City. It then has just left his home and is making its way to Gaza City's largest mosque, where we can expect some fiery rhetoric, I imagine.
From there, he is buried at a local cemetery. It's a long, long day and it's a very hot day here in Gaza. But the crowds are turning out, it has to be said. There were large demonstrations last night here in Gaza City, as well.
Outside the home of Ismail Abu Shanab, perhaps an illustration of the anger here among Hamas supporters. "Hamas will avenge the martyr's blood," said one sign. And there were chants saying the road map is over, it is gone, the cease-fire has ended, it is time for revenge. These are the chants that were coming from the thousands of people now winding their way through Gaza City as part of this funeral procession.
As you report, earlier Hamas and Islamic Jihad and others have called off the cease-fire. Evidence of that last evening here when a dozen mortars were fired at the Gushkatif (ph) settlement block, which is just south of Gaza City. Now, in response to that, I can report to you that the IDF, the Israeli military, has put back in a major roadblock that for some time has separated Gaza in two. And that roadblock disappeared in early July as a sign of faith in the road map. It is now back because of those mortar attacks. How long it will remain, we don't know -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Michael Holmes reporting live from Gaza City this morning.
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 - 05:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Israel, it seems like we're just waiting for the next shoe to drop, the next round of violence.
To Gaza City now and Michael Holmes on the funeral of the leading Hamas official.
Michael is joining us live by phone.
And we understand they expect, what, 100,000 people at this funeral?
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, yes, up to 100,000 people. The procession is under way. It's been under way for just over an hour. It's a lengthy affair. The whole procession goes from the hospital morgue to the home of Ismail Abu Shanab, the senior Hamas leader killed in that missile strike yesterday in Gaza City. It then has just left his home and is making its way to Gaza City's largest mosque, where we can expect some fiery rhetoric, I imagine.
From there, he is buried at a local cemetery. It's a long, long day and it's a very hot day here in Gaza. But the crowds are turning out, it has to be said. There were large demonstrations last night here in Gaza City, as well.
Outside the home of Ismail Abu Shanab, perhaps an illustration of the anger here among Hamas supporters. "Hamas will avenge the martyr's blood," said one sign. And there were chants saying the road map is over, it is gone, the cease-fire has ended, it is time for revenge. These are the chants that were coming from the thousands of people now winding their way through Gaza City as part of this funeral procession.
As you report, earlier Hamas and Islamic Jihad and others have called off the cease-fire. Evidence of that last evening here when a dozen mortars were fired at the Gushkatif (ph) settlement block, which is just south of Gaza City. Now, in response to that, I can report to you that the IDF, the Israeli military, has put back in a major roadblock that for some time has separated Gaza in two. And that roadblock disappeared in early July as a sign of faith in the road map. It is now back because of those mortar attacks. How long it will remain, we don't know -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Michael Holmes reporting live from Gaza City this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
