Ahmed al-Ja'abari
Encyclopedia
Ahmed al-Ja'abari is a leading commander of the military wing of Hamas
in Gaza
. He has been credited as a leader in the takeover of Gaza by Hamas and the firing of Qassam rocket
s into Israel
.
A report by The Jerusalem Post
in late December 2008 suggested that Ja'abari may have been killed during the Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip; his home in the suburbs of Gaza City was said to have been hit and destroyed by an IDF airstrike. However, a July 2009 article in Haaretz
spoke of Ja'abari still controlling the Hamas military wing.
In August 2004, an Israeli rocket strike on Ja'abari's home killed five others, but he survived.
In September, 2010, Jabari threatened to increase attacks against Israel to derail the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. "With the power of faith, weapons and missiles, tunnels and commandos we will achieve victory for Palestine and we'll end the occupation in Gaza too," he said.
In October 2011, Jabari confirmed in an interview with the Saudi Arabian newspaper al-Hayat that the prisoners released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange
deal were collectively responsible for the deaths of 569 Israeli civilians.
Jabari, the acting supreme commander of the al-Qassam Brigades, wrote:
Our eyes will always remain focused toward Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa and (their gaze) will not be confined to the borders of Gaza. Our plan of struggle shall extend as always, sooner or later, to our entire plundered country. The al-Qassam Brigades have never excluded and will not exclude from their considerations any possible option to activate resistance, liberate prisoners and subdue the criminal, thieving enemy, and as long as the Zionists occupy our lands, only death or exile await them.
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
. He has been credited as a leader in the takeover of Gaza by Hamas and the firing of Qassam rocket
Qassam rocket
The Qassam rocket is a simple steel artillery rocket developed and deployed by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas. Three models have been produced and used between 2001 and 2011....
s into Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
A report by The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
in late December 2008 suggested that Ja'abari may have been killed during the Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip; his home in the suburbs of Gaza City was said to have been hit and destroyed by an IDF airstrike. However, a July 2009 article in Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
spoke of Ja'abari still controlling the Hamas military wing.
In August 2004, an Israeli rocket strike on Ja'abari's home killed five others, but he survived.
In September, 2010, Jabari threatened to increase attacks against Israel to derail the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. "With the power of faith, weapons and missiles, tunnels and commandos we will achieve victory for Palestine and we'll end the occupation in Gaza too," he said.
In October 2011, Jabari confirmed in an interview with the Saudi Arabian newspaper al-Hayat that the prisoners released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange
Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange
The Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange followed an agreement between Israel and Hamas to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,027 prisoners – mainly Palestinians and Arab-Israelis, though among the prisoners released there was also a Ukrainian prisoner, a Jordanian prisoner, and a...
deal were collectively responsible for the deaths of 569 Israeli civilians.
Quotes
In December 2010, the Hamas movement marked the 23rd anniversary of its establishment with an official booklet entitled The Path of Glory (Darb al-ezza), which includes statements by Hamas military leaders alongside statistical data on acts of terrorism carried out against Israel.Jabari, the acting supreme commander of the al-Qassam Brigades, wrote:
Our eyes will always remain focused toward Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa and (their gaze) will not be confined to the borders of Gaza. Our plan of struggle shall extend as always, sooner or later, to our entire plundered country. The al-Qassam Brigades have never excluded and will not exclude from their considerations any possible option to activate resistance, liberate prisoners and subdue the criminal, thieving enemy, and as long as the Zionists occupy our lands, only death or exile await them.