2004 Ashdod Port bombings

Series of suicide bombings in Israel

31°49′49″N 34°38′29″E / 31.83028°N 34.64139°E / 31.83028; 34.64139DateMarch 14, 2004; 20 years ago (2004-03-14)
16:20 pm
Attack type
Suicide bombingDeaths10 civilians (+2 bombers)Injured16 civiliansPerpetratorsHamas and Fatah claimed responsibility
No. of participants
2

The 2004 Ashdod Port bombings were two suicide bombings carried out nearly simultaneously on March 14, 2004 at the Port of Ashdod in Ashdod, Israel. As a result, 10 civilians were killed and 16 were injured. Hamas and Fatah claimed joint responsibility for the attack.

The attack

  • Memorial for the attack victims

On Sunday, March 14, 2004, two Palestinian suicide bombers who wore explosive belts hidden underneath their clothes approached the Port of Ashdod. Despite the vast security arrangements at the compound, the two suicide bombers managed to infiltrate the compound.[citation needed]

At 16:20 pm the suicide bombers detonated their explosive devices - one exploded himself in an office building inside the compound, and the other exploded after a few moments at the entrance to the compound. The force of the blast killed ten civilians, most of them were port workers, and injured 16 others.[citation needed]

The perpetrators and Israeli response

Hamas and Fatah claimed joint responsibility for the attack and stated that the attack was carried out by two 18-year-olds from the Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.[1] The two assailants managed to infiltrate Israel from Gaza by hiding in a container that went through the Karni Crossing.[2] A Hamas leader in Gaza stated that the original plan was that the suicide bombers would blow up fuel tanks at the port; Israel said the bombers intended to carry out a "mega attack" with hundreds of casualties, but instead blew themselves up hundreds of meters from the tanks.[2] Later on it was revealed that the attack was financed and directed by Nizar Rayan.[3] In response, Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin was killed along with his bodyguards in a strike by Israeli helicopters in Gaza City.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Suicide Bombing at Ashdod Port". Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Port Blast". Maritime Workers Journal. 2004. Archived from the original on 2006-08-23. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  3. ^ Katz, Yaakov (2 January 2009). "IDF kills top Hamas terrorist Rayyan". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Israeli missile strike kills Hamas founder". Chicago Tribune. March 22, 2004. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013.

External links

  • Suicide blasts kill 11 Israelis - published on BBC News on March 14, 2004
  • Bomb fiends kill 11 - Israel cancels this week's summit - published on New York Post on March 15, 2004
  • Suicide bombers kill 10 at Israeli port - published on The Guardian on March 15, 2004
  • Suicide Bombers Kill 10 in Israel, And Derail Prime Ministers' Talks - published on The New York Times on March 15, 2004
  • v
  • t
  • e
Prominent terrorist attacks against Israelis in the history of the Arab–Israeli conflict – the 2000s
20012002
20032004
200520062007
20082009
  Attacks launched from the West Bank   Attacks launched from the Gaza Strip   Attacks launched from Lebanon

‡ indicates the terrorist attack which caused the greatest amount of Israeli casualties during the 2000s

1990s 2010s
  • v
  • t
  • e
Prominent Palestinian militancy attacks in the 2000s
Within Israel
West Bank
Gaza Strip
Other countries
1 Attacks launched from Lebanon 2 Attacks launched from the West Bank 3 Attacks launched from the Gaza Strip 1990s 2010s
  • v
  • t
  • e
Participants
Israelis
Palestinians
Principals
Other groups
Third-party groups
Individuals
Israelis
Palestinians
Background
1920–1948
 
1948–1970
Palestinian
insurgency
1968–1982
 
1973–1987
First Intifada
1987–1991
Second Intifada
2000–2005
Palestinian dissident
campaigns
2006–present
Gaza–Israel
conflict
2006–present
Diplomacy
Timeline
1948–1991
1990s
2000s
2010s
United Nations