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Hamas Leader Nizar Rayyan Killed in Gaza Air Strikes January 1

by Tina Kells | January 1, 2009 at 08:42 pm

776 views | 35 Recommendations | 9 comments

Israel has been targeting commanders and leaders of Hamas in the Gaza bombing campaign that began last weekend, and today a senior Hamas official was among the dead.

An air strike on the Gaza home of Hamas leader Nizar Rayyan left the man and his family dead. Rayyan is the most senior member of Hamas to be killed since 2004.

Protests continued around the world as the Gaza air strikes entered their fifth day. The killing of Nizar Rayyan has sparked a new round of public outcries against Israel's bombing of Gaza and renewed cries for a truce in the region.

Nizar Rayyan, the most senior Hamas figure to be killed since 2004, had urged suicide attacks against Israel.

News of the strike came on the sixth day of Israeli strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian medical sources say 402 people have been killed. Israel says it is trying to prevent militants from firing rockets into southern Israel.

Mr Rayyan is the most senior Hamas leader to be killed since the death of Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi in April 2004.

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158

at 21:02 on January 1st, 2009

There is something that says those who live by the sword will die by the sword.

aelusive

at 22:04 on January 1st, 2009

Those hamas terrorists are always asking for trouble.

poor oligarch (not verified)

at 02:06 on January 2nd, 2009

Tikun Olam has this today:

Gaza: Kill a Terrorist, Let 1,000 Terrorists ‘Bloom’

One of Nizar Rayyan's nine dead children removed from rubble of his home (Ismail Zaydah/Reuters)

Israel has done the world the dubious “favor” of providing a textbook example of how a colonial power fuels an insurgency. This is from today’s N.Y. Times:

Paschen

at 21:23 on January 1st, 2009

Abutamim

at 02:50 on January 2nd, 2009

those are the real champions
who defense of their rights .. not to be a sheep of america

Abutamim has contributed a photo to this story.

Rainman 3 (not verified)

at 06:10 on January 2nd, 2009

Zionists are already running from southern cities, terrified of Hamas rockets! while Palestinian children stay facing the cowardly Israeli airforce and war machine.

Ibn-Nalim (not verified)

at 17:42 on January 2nd, 2009

Palestinian children stay facing !

Palestinian children are very brave. But luckaly - very dead.

Amitjha

at 03:45 on January 3rd, 2009

So we are going to see the elimination of two most dreaded terrorist organization, LTTE in srilanka and Hamas in Israel. But both of these organization have the capability to bounce back, unfortunately by killing hundreds.

Omid (not verified)

at 02:08 on January 8th, 2009

Why US and European governments give the tax where people pay, to Israel to do these war crimes and associate their nations in blood of women and innocent children? Hamas was selected with Palestine nation vote. Why Israel surrounds Gaza and don't let wounded persons receive food and drug? Isn't Israel a occupier?? Isn't this an unfair war? Who has equipped Israel with F16 fighter plane?
I think Democracy and Human rights is a big lie in West.