23 July 2002

In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most Merciful

“Think not of those who are slain in Allah's Way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the Presence of their Lord;

Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas – statement

The Zionists will pay dearly for their crimes

Our Mujahid Palestinian people … our Arab and Muslim Ummah:

The neo-nazis have committed a new crime to be added to the long list of Zionist record of criminal acts. The Zionists’ American-made F-16 warplanes bombed a residential complex in the Daraj suburb, Gaza city on Monday evening 12^th Jumada Awal 1423H – 22/7/2002AD targeting infants, women and elderly.

The following were martyred as a result of the aggression:

The martyr general commander of the Qassam Brigades in Palestine:

Mujahid Sheikh / Salah Mustafa Shehada, 50.

His wife the martyr / Leila Khamis Sfeira, 40.

His daughter the martyr / Eiman Salah Shehada, 15.

The Qassam Mujahid:

Martyr Mujahid / Zaher Saleh Abu Hussein “Nassar”, 37.

The martyr and her babies:

Martyr / Mona Fahmi Al-Huweiti, 30.

Martyr child / Subhi Mahmoud Al-Huweiti, 4.

Martyr child / Mohammed Mahmoud Al-Huweiti, 3.

The martyr and his baby boy:

Martyr / Mohammed Al-Shawwa, 40.

Martyr child / Ahmed Mohammed Al-Shawwa, 3.

The martyr and her babies:

Martyr / Eiman Hassan Matar, 27.

Martyr infant / Ayman Raed Matar, 18 months.

Martyr child / Mohammed Raed Matar, 4.

Martyr child / Diana Raed Matar, 5.

And their cousins:

Martyr infant / Dunia Rami Matar, two months.

Martyr child / Alaa Mohammed Matar, 11.

More than 150 other civilians were wounded in this cowardly attack mostly children, women, elderly and disabled.

The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, while bearing the glad tidings on the martyrdom of the general commander of its military wing the Qassam Brigades and the remaining martyrs of the massacre would like to affirm the following:

-We call on the Qassam Brigades and other military wings to strike the Zionists at any time and at any place with all means … there is no prohibited method in our war with this dirty enemy.

-We tell the Zionists that blood of the martyr commander Abu Mustafa and his brothers would haunt you in each and every street, casino and bus … the blood and scattered remains of the martyrs would pose as a nightmare chasing and surrounding you with nowhere to hide until they burn you.

-This sightless world is giving a blind eye to the crimes against the Palestinian people and is exercising on us offensive pressures to block our way to freedom from the abhorred occupation. At such a situation the enemy launches its savage crime to affirm our stable and correct stand that martyrdom operations are the strongest and best methods that we insist on pursuing to deter this cowardly enemy.

Wallahu Akbar wa Lillahi Al-Hamd

The Islamic Resistance Movement
Hamas – Palestine
Tuesday 13^th Jumada Awal 1423H
23/7/2002AD