Grandmother blows herself up in Gaza

Fatima al-Nejar, 57, blew herself up in northern Gaza, slightly wounding two Israeli soldiers (Reuters)

November 24, 2006

Video

Stephen Farrell, Jerusalem

A grandmother became the oldest Palestinian suicide bomber yesterday when she blew herself up in Gaza and slightly wounded two Israeli soldiers.

Fatma Omar An-Najar was the first suicide bomber to be claimed by Hamas for nearly two years. Its armed wing said that she was aged 57, but her family said that she was 68.

Israel said that its soldiers had spotted her and threw a stun grenade, causing her to set off the explosives early.

Women suicide bombers are rare in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but there have been two this month. Bringing women closer to the front lines appears to mark a change in tactic.

This month Hamas organised a march of women across an Israeli cordon to end a mosque siege in Beit Hanoun.

Eight other Palestinians were killed yesterday on the second day of a large-scale Israeli military operation in northern Gaza.

Israel says that the operation is intended to curb rockets fired by Hamas and other militant groups. Palestinian factions say that the rockets are their response to Israeli air strikes and border closures.

The violence came as Khaled Mashal, Hamas’s supreme leader, began talks in Cairo aimed at securing a prisoner exchange with Israel, and the formation of a new Palestinian unity government.

It also coincided with a four-day visit by Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to Israel and the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

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Martyrdom "Fatima Al" Journey life until martyrdom
Special report :

Palestinian women are still proving day after day that it constituted a jihad advanced in the history of the Palestinian cause, Since the start of the Palestinian revolution about resistance, Palestinian women did not hesitate to sacrifice for the same cheap patriotic dear.

In the al-Aqsa Intifada Palestinian women emerged again and threw all its might engage in, presented Palestinians convoys of martyrs and Alaschadiat, I stood Palestinian women to work alongside men in the jihad fighter, But this time bomb belts which Lizin by their bodies instead of the necklaces and jewels that decorate the bodies of girls today, We have deep faith Antalqan Zine hearts and the justness of the cause for which struggle was Viktben new chapter in the management of the conflict, During this Intifada the Palestinians convoy included eleven martyrdom of the finest girls.

Palestinian women and rejects only to participate in the Mujahideen heroes of Jihad and resistance, and here are Gasamih martyrdom "Fatma Omar Mahmoud Al," which reaches the age of 57 catch up Alasschadiat of ideals and causes Balaschadeh that preceded them to the heavens martyrdom Gasamih "Aleriashi Rim," which blew herself up at the Erez checkpoint set of Zionists and left many dead and wounded among the enemy here are two Gasamih martyrdom "Fatima Al-Nagar" walk on the same path and blow the same evening today, Thursday, 11-23-2006 series of the Zionist usurpers east of the Jamul the east of the Jabaliya refugee camp in return home due Shanti Lal and expected many of the dead and wounded in the ranks of the Zionist usurpers

And Pthiabha Hattha and traditional white and wrinkle on her time, Mrs. "Fatima Al" carrying guns, behind a label written the Martyr Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, distributed copies of her possessions.

martyred will introduce myself to God to sacrifice homeland then the maximum and God accepts me this work and introduce myself to the detainees, detention and ask God to disengage their families and accept God Mona this work in the process and Eketbni martyrs and ask God that brings us together with the martyrs in Jinan Na'im I ask God Almighty to guide my children and Girlie mosques and to ask my family distributed sweets when you hear the news of martyrdom.

Also sent tribute to the commander-in-chief of the Martyr Ezzedine Al Qassam Mohammed guest "Abu Khaled" and to the martyrs of all . "

As gifted to the President of the government, "Ismail Haniya," and of ministers in the Palestinian government, and called on God to Yoval.

For its part, the Martyr Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement adopted martyrdom operation was carried out by "Fatma Omar Mahmoud Al" (57) in a group of occupation soldiers.

She that martyrdom Qassam Brigades blew herself amid a group of soldiers of the occupation forces in the area east of Jabalia Jamul, near the house of Shanti which left a number of dead and wounded in the ranks of the occupation forces.

Which has insisted that the spirit and blood for the sake of God after the house blown up by the occupation forces in the first Intifada, after it was a haven for fugitives and fighters, The sons of prisoners in occupation jails previously.

The statement added that the martyred today culminated in her bus bomber blew herself up amid a large group of special forces soldiers Zionism

The Qassam message to the Zionist enemy, through his statement in which he said : "We in the Qassam Brigades declare for the heroic martyrdom operation to send a message to the Zionist enemy that our these are only part of what Sillakeh Zionists at the hands of the men and women of Palestine, and will you Qassam Brigades, which surprises exposed Kiankm God, and make Gaza a cemetery for Your soldiers cowards and Aliatkm meager.

Eyewitnesses said that a woman approached the group of Israeli soldiers and blew herself up, which led to the cites and injuring many soldiers of the occupation has been transferred to a military hospital Zionism.