Karni border crossing attack
Encyclopedia
The Karni border crossing attack was a suicide bombing which occurred on January 13, 2005 at the pedestrian/cargo terminal Karni Crossing
Karni crossing
The Karni Crossing is a cargo terminal on the Israel-Gaza Strip barrier. It is located in the north-eastern end of the Gaza Strip and was opened in 1994 after the signing of the Oslo Accords, in order to allow Palestinian merchants to export and import goods...

 located on the Israeli Gaza Strip barrier
Israeli Gaza Strip barrier
The Israel and Egypt − Gaza Strip barrier is a separation barrier first constructed by Israel in 1994 between the Gaza Strip and Israel. An addition to the barrier was finished in 2005 to separate the Gaza Strip and Egypt....

. Six Israeli civilians were killed in the attack and five Israelis were injured in the attack.

Hamas
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...

, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and the Popular Resistance Committees
Popular Resistance Committees
The Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...

 claimed joint responsibility for the attack.

The attack

On Thursday, 13 January 2005, at around 22:45 pm, a squad of three Palestinians militants armed with AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...

s and hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...

s, parked a truck loaded with a 200 pound explosive device, on the Palestinian side of the fence near an iron door that separates the Israeli and Palestinian sides at the Karni Crossing
Karni crossing
The Karni Crossing is a cargo terminal on the Israel-Gaza Strip barrier. It is located in the north-eastern end of the Gaza Strip and was opened in 1994 after the signing of the Oslo Accords, in order to allow Palestinian merchants to export and import goods...

 checkpoint. At 22:45 pm the squad detonated the explosives which created a hole through the iron door. Immediately afterwards the militants penetrated into the Israeli side of the Karni crossing through the hole in the iron door. The militant squad threw grenades and fired their assault weapons at the Israeli civilians on the site.

During the attack the Palestinian militant squad managed to kill 6 Israeli civilians (truck drivers and workers of the Port Authority) and in addition managed to injure five Israeli civilians.

The following exchange of fire between the Israeli soldiers stationed at the site and the Palestinian militants resulted in the killing of all three attackers.

Fatalities

  • Ibrahim Kahili, 46, of Umm al-Ghanam
  • Ofer Tiri, 23, of Ashkelon
    Ashkelon
    Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...

  • Dror Gizri, 30, of Sderot
    Sderot
    Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...

  • Ivan Shmilov, 53, of Sderot
    Sderot
    Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...

  • Munam Abu Sabia, 33, of Dabburiya
  • Herzl Shlomo, 51, of Sderot
    Sderot
    Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...


  • The perpetrators

    Three Palestinian militant groups claimed joint responsibility for the attack, including Hamas
    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...

    , the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and the Popular Resistance Committees
    Popular Resistance Committees
    The Popular Resistance Committees are a coalition of various armed Palestinian factions that oppose the conciliatory approach adopted by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah towards Israel...

    .

    After the attack, Abu Abir, a spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees, stated to the press that "the attack is a continuation of the resistance".

    Official reactions

    Involved parties
     Israel: Israeli officials stated that "The prime minister has ordered suspension of all contacts with Palestinian Authority representatives and the closure of all Gaza terminals until real steps are taken against terrorist acts".

     Palestinian National Authority: Newly elected President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas
    Mahmoud Abbas
    Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...

     condemned the attack.

    External links

    • Terror attack at Karni Crossing - published at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    • Suicide attack at Gaza Crossing - published on BBC News
      BBC News
      BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...

    • Inquiry: Karni attackers had false permits - published on 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...

       on January 16, 2005
    • Large Bomb Kills Six Israelis at Gaza Checkpoint - published on the Washington Post on January 14, 2005
    • Explosion kills six Israelis - published on The Age
      The Age
      The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...

      on January 15, 2005
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