2004 Erez Crossing bombing

The attack

On Wednesday, 14 January 2004, around 9:30 am, a female Palestinian suicide bomber, approached the pedestrian/cargo terminal Erez Crossing (the main crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip where Israeli security forces tend to perform routine security checks to the Palestinian workers before they are allowed to enter Israel).

The suicide bomber was faking a limp and she told the security guards at the site that she had a metal plate in her leg which would most likely trigger the alarm. As a result, a female soldier was sent to check her. As the suicide bomber was waiting for the arrival of the female soldier, she managed to infiltrate into the inspection hall, and detonated the hidden explosive device which was concealed on her body.

Three soldiers and one civilian employee of the Erez crossing were killed in the attack. 10 people, including four Palestinians, were injured in the attack.

Victims

• Staff Sergeant Tzur Or, 20, of Rishon Lezion
• Corporal Andrei Kegeles, 19, of Nahariya
• Gal Shapira, 29, of Ashkelon
• Staff Sergeant Vladimir Trostinsky, 22, of Rehovot

Perpetrators

Hamas and the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed joint responsibility for the attack. Hamas spokesman stated that the suicide bomber was a 22-year-old Palestinian mother of two from Gaza named Reem al-Reyashi. After the attack, a video of al-Reyashi, which was filmed before the attack, was published in which she was wearing combat fatigues and holding an automatic rifle with a rocket-propelled grenade in the foreground. In the video, she states that she dreamt of "turning my body into deadly shrapnel against the Zionists" since the age of 13 and that she "always wanted to be the first woman to carry out a martyrdom operation, where parts of my body can fly all over and "knocking the door of heaven"."

Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin stated in an interview with the Reuters news agency that "The fact that a woman took part for the first time in a Hamas operation marks a significant evolution".

References

References

1. (15 January 2004). "Martyr mother orphans toddlers".
2. [http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/IsraelUnderAttack/Erez+Crossing1/Erez+Crossing.htm Erez Crossing]
3. "CNN.com - Female suicide bomber kills at least 4 Israelis - Jan. 14, 2004".
4. (14 January 2004). "BBC NEWS - Middle East - Gaza attack kills four Israelis".
5. [http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2004/St-Sgt%20Zur%20Or St-Sgt Zur Or]
6. [http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2004/Cpl%20Andrei%20Kegeles Cpl Andrei Kegeles]
7. [http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2004/Gal%20Shapira Gal Shapira]
8. [http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2004/Border%20Policeman%20St-Sgt%20Vladimir%20Trostinsky Border Policeman St-Sgt Vladimir Trostinsky]
9. MacKinnon, Ian. (2023-12-19). "'It was my wish to turn my body into deadly shrapnel against the Zionists'". [[The Times]].
10. (15 January 2004). "Hamas leader:Jihad is an imperative for women too". Haaretz.com.