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American Morning

Hamas Vows Revenge on Israel

Aired July 23, 2002 - 07:02   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: "Up Front," though, Hamas is vowing revenge after Israel assassinates one of the group's top leaders. The attack was carried out by an Israeli F-16 last night. A single missile was launched into the heart of Gaza at the heart of Hamas.

The terrorist group now confirms the commander of their military wing was killed, along with as many as 10 civilians, including seven children.

CNN's Mike Hanna joins us from Gaza City with the very latest.

Good morning -- Mike.

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Paula.

This is a city seething with anger, the funeral of the dead about to begin, a mass funeral of well over 10 people, who were killed in this Israeli attack.

Downtown Gaza, immense destruction in the vicinity of where the missile struck, a number of apartment blocks in that area, a highly- densely populated area, severely destroyed by the missile and by subsequent shrapnel in the attack. And people there absolutely angered, saying that no such attack can possibly be justified.

But Israel justified this attack, the target of its attack, it said, a senior leader of the Hamas militant organization, Salah Shehade, who, Israel said, was responsible for several terror attacks on Israeli civilians. This man, a leader of the armed wing of Hamas, and Israel insisting that he had responsibility in the deaths of scores of Israeli civilians.

But in addition to him being killed, a number of others too, more than 10 others, among them, several children. The youngest of the children killed in the attack, 2-months-old, other ages ranged from 4- years-old and 2-years old. And as well, dozens upon dozens of wounded. Shifa (ph) Hospital saying that more 100 people were admitted there, and at least 16 of these people admitted to the hospital, say doctors, are in a critical condition.

So an angry Gaza City, and from Palestinian militants, the threats of revenge -- Paula.

ZAHN: Let's talk a little bit more about how critical this guy was to the armed wing of Hamas. Well, what does it exactly mean that he's gone?

HANNA: Well, as far as Israel is concerned, he was absolutely fundamental to the Hamas activities, both in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank. Israeli intelligence sources saying that he was involved in a whole series of actions against Israeli civilians, also in the supplying of mortars, homemade mortars to militants within the Gaza Strip, which were fired at Israeli settlements and the Israeli soldiers who are guarding them.

In addition, says Israel, he manufactured a lot of suicide bombs, sent a lot of people into Israeli civilian areas to kill Israeli civilians. But still, Palestinians say, nothing could justify this action in a densely-populated area -- Paula.

ZAHN: And what does this mean to the future of Hamas? Is it weakened by this?

HANNA: Well, once again, it probably has suffered a temporary setback. Certainly, Israel has described this operation as a major success. This, the most high-profile and most senior Hamas militant official, according to the Israelis, that has been killed in the past two months of the Palestinian uprising.

So a person in this senior position may well affect Hamas' activities, but at the same time, the anger, the absolute fury in the wake of this Israeli attack is likely to lead Hamas and other militant organizations, such as Islamic Jihad, to finding fertile ground for further recruitment and training of further people willing to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians -- Paula.

ZAHN: Thanks, Mike -- Mike Hanna reporting from Gaza City for us this morning -- appreciate it.

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