Violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 2002
Encyclopedia
Note: This compilation includes only those attacks that resulted in casualties. Attacks which did not kill or wound are not included.
January (death toll: 21)
- 4 January: Israeli army undercover unit kill a HamasHamasHamas 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...
member in village of TalTAL-Abbreviation:*TAL effector, a family of DNA binding proteins with high sequence specificity*Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial Airport , in Tanana, Alaska*The Alberta Library*The programming languages:**Typed assembly language...
and take prisoner two others. - 9 January: Four Israeli soldiers are killed when two Hamas militants wearing Palestinian police uniforms attacked an IDFIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
post near the Gaza StripGaza Stripthumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
with grenades and assault rifles. The soldiers managed to kill one of the attackers. http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,629854,00.html - 10 January-11: The IDFIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
demolished 59 houses and damaged another 200 in Rafah refugee camp. Over six hundred Palestinians are made homeless. http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE150102002?open&of=ENG-ISR, http://www.ipc.gov.ps/ipc_e/ipc_e-1/e_News/2002/2-2002/0465.html - 14 January: The IDFIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
killed Raed al-Karmi, head of al-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesAl-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesThe al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
in Tulkarem. An Israeli soldier was killed near Shavei ShomronShavei ShomronShavei Shomron is a communal village and an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank, founded in 1977. Located to the west of Nablus on the road to Tulkarm, it is within the municipal jurisdiction of the Shomron Regional Council. As of 2003, it had a population of 604, mostly religious...
by AMB gunmen. http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,633643,00.htmlhttp://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE150102002?open&of=ENG-ISR - 15 January: An IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i woman shot dead in Jerusalem; a man (an American citizen living in Israel) kidnapped into NablusNablusNablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
and shot dead there. - 16 January: An PalestinianPalestinian peopleThe Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
resident of East Jerusalem killed while driving in a car with Israeli license plates near JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
. - 17 January: 2002 Bat Mitzvah massacre: A gunman killed six and wounded 33 in a Bat Mitzvah celebration in HaderaHaderaHadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain...
. The al-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesAl-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesThe al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
claimed responsibility for the attack. http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE150102002?open&of=ENG-ISR Wanted AMB member Khamis Abdallah is killed by the Israeli army in an apparent assassination, NablusNablusNablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
. A Palestinian is killed by shell-fire on the GazaGazaGaza , 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,...
border. Two Preventive Security Force officers are killed when an Israeli F-16 jet fighter destroyed the Palestinian Authority's main police headquarters in Tulkarem. - 18 January: In an apparent assassination, wanted AMB member Faraj Hani Odeh Nazzal is killed in the West Bank.
- 21 January: A 19-year-old Palestinian was killed and seven wounded in fighting with Israeli forces in the West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
city of Tulkarem. http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,637369,00.html Other sources put the number of dead as two with fifteen wounded in what is described as the largest military operation since 1967. - 22 January: Two women killed by a Fatah (Al-Aqsa Brigades) gunman in Jerusalem. The Israeli army kill West Bank head of the Izzeddin al-Qassam BrigadesIzz ad-Din al-Qassam BrigadesThe Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades is the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist fundamentalist socio-political organisation Hamas. Created in 1992, under the direction of Yahya Ayyash, the primary objective of the group was to build a coherent military organisation to support the goals of...
, Yusif Suragji and three other Hamas members in Nablus. - 24 January: The Israeli army assassinates senior Hamas member, Adil Hamad, by firing missiles at his car in Khan YunisKhan YunisKhan Yunis - often spelt Khan Younis or Khan Yunnis - is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 180,000 in 2006...
. Five Palestinians are killed in other incidents during the day. - 25 January: 20 people are injured in an {Palestinian Islamic Jihad|Islamic Jihad]] suicide bombing in the Old Bus Station of Tel-Aviv. Seven Palestinians are injured in revenge attacks by the Israeli Air ForceIsraeli Air ForceThe Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
in Gaza City and Tulkarm. - 26 January: A Hamas member is shot by the Israeli army at a checkpoint in Ramallah, he dies of his wounds while an ambulance is denied access for 45 minutes. A Jewish settler driving in the West Bank is killed by Palestinian gunmen.
- 27 January: A suicide bombing attack in Jerusalem by FatahFatahFataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
. An elderly Israeli was killed and 7 wounded. The attack marked the first time a female suicide bomberFemale suicide bomberThough the majority of suicide bombers have been male, female suicide bombers have carried out a number of attacks.-History:Female suicide bombers have been employed in several conflicts, by a variety of organizations, against both military and civilian targets.*In Lebanon on April 9, 1985, Sana'a...
was used.
February (death toll: 50)
- 6 February: An Israeli woman, her 11 year-old daughter and a soldier guarding them killed in a gun attack in the Israeli village of Hamra. Both Fatah and HamasHamasHamas 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...
claimed responsibility. - 8 February: An Israeli woman stabbed to death by several PalestinianPalestinian peopleThe Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
young men while walking in a park in Jerusalem. - 9 February: An elderly woman shot and killed while driving in the northern West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. - 10 February: Two female Israeli soldiers killed in a shooting attack in a civilian bakery near a military base in Be'er Sheva. 4 people are injured. Hamas claimed responsibility.
- 14 February: A Merkava 3 heavy tank is destroyed by a mine near Netzarim, killing 3 Israeli soldiers and wounding 4 wounded. Hamas claimed responsibility.
- 16 February: Two teenagers killed in a suicide bombing at a pizzeria in the northern West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. Another teenage girl, wounded in the attack, died 11 days later. The PFLP claimed responsibility. - 18 February: An Israeli-Arab policeman killed by a suicide bomber. Fatah (Al-Aqsa) claims responsibility. A settler woman and two soldiers trying to assist her killed in a combined shooting and bombing in GazaGazaGaza , 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,...
. Fatah (Al-Aqsa) claims responsibility. - 19 February: Palestinian guerillas stormed an army checkpoint at Ein Ariq near RamallahRamallahRamallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
killing six Israeli soldiers. The Al-Aqsa Brigade and HamasHamasHamas 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...
claimed joint responsibility. http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,653129,00.html - 20 February: In retaliation of the raid 19 February, Israeli warplanes and helicopter gunships attacked structures belonging to the Palestinian Authority. Four Palestinians were killed in a missile attack at the PA's compound in GazaGazaGaza , 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,...
, seven in Israeli shelling of two Palestinian police checkpoints near NablusNablusNablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, three in a firefight outside Balata refugee campBalataBalata Camp is a Palestinian refugee camp established in the northern West Bank in 1950, adjacent to the city of Nablus. It is the largest refugee camp in the West Bank. Balata Camp is densely populated with 30,000 residents in an area of 0.25 square kilometers.-History:In 1950, the UN gave the...
, one in an airstrike on Ramallah and one in a firefight near Ramallah. In total, 16 Palestinians was killed. http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,653163,00.html - 22 February: An Israeli civilian was killed by gunmen in a drive-by shootingDrive-by shootingA drive-by shooting is a form of hit-and-run tactic, a personal attack carried out by an individual or individuals from a moving or momentarily stopped vehicle without use of headlights to avoid being noticed. It often results in bystanders being shot instead of, or as well as, the intended target...
on the Atarot-Givat Ze'ev road north of Jerusalem, on his way home from his workplace. - 25 February: Two Israelis killed in a shooting attack between TekoaTekoa (town)Tekoa is an Israeli Jewish communal settlement and Israeli settlement in the northern Judean hills in the West Bank. Tekoa is within the municipal jurisdiction of the Gush Etzion Regional Council...
and NokdimNokdimNokdim , lit. Shepherds) is a communal settlement and Israeli settlement in the West Bank, located south of Bethlehem in the northern Judean hills...
, south of BethlehemBethlehemBethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
. One of the victims' pregnant daughter was injured. An Israeli policewoman is killed when a gunman opened fire at a bus stop in the Neve YaakovNeve YaakovNeve Yaakov also Neve Ya'aqov, , is a neighborhood located in northeastern Jerusalem, north of Pisgat Ze'ev and south of al-Ram. Established in 1924 during the period of the British Mandate, it was abandoned during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
residential neighborhood in northern Jerusalem. - 26 February: A 15 year old girl, wielding a knife, was shot and killed at an Israeli checkpoint near Tulkarm in what seems to have been a failed attack at that checkpoint. http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,658074,00.html
- 27 February: An Israeli is shot and killed by one of his Palestinian employees in a factory in the AtarotAtarotAtarot was a moshav in Mandatory Palestine, north of Jerusalem along the highway to Ramallah. The village was captured and destroyed by the Jordanian Arab Legion during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
industrial area, north of Jerusalem. - 28 February: More than 100 Palestinians were wounded and two killed as the Israel army stormed the Balata refugee campBalataBalata Camp is a Palestinian refugee camp established in the northern West Bank in 1950, adjacent to the city of Nablus. It is the largest refugee camp in the West Bank. Balata Camp is densely populated with 30,000 residents in an area of 0.25 square kilometers.-History:In 1950, the UN gave the...
. In JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
, six Palestinian policemen was shot dead as tanks entered the camp.
March (death toll: 134)
- 2 March: The bullet-ridden body of a Jerusalem police detective was discovered next to his trail motorcycle, near the Mar Saba Monastery in the JudeaJudeaJudea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
n Desert. 11 people killed in a suicide bombing near a yeshivaYeshivaYeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
in the Haredi Beit YisraelBeit YisraelBeit Yisrael is a predominantly Haredi neighborhood in central Jerusalem, Israel. It is located just north of Mea Shearim.The name Beit Yisrael is taken from the verse in Ezekiel , in which Ezekiel prophesies to the hills and mountains of Israel, "I shall make numerous on you the people, the...
neighborhood in the center of Jerusalem. - 3 March: 10 Israelis, 7 soldiers and 3 civilians, are killed by a Palestinian sniperSniperA sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
in an IDF road block near Ofra, in the northern West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. - 4 March: Six Palestinians, five of them children, were killed in Ramallah as a tank shelled a pickup truck and another vehicle belonging to a suspected Hamas militant. In Jenin, six more Palestinians were killed during a fire exchange with Israeli soldiers. In Rafah refugee camp, two Palestinian gunmen and one civilian was killed and three buildings demolished. http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,661639,00.html
- 5 March: Three people killed in Tel-Aviv when a Palestinian gunman opened fire on two adjacent restaurants. An Israeli woman was killed in shooting attack on the Bethlehem bypass "tunnel" road, south of Jerusalem, on her way to work. Her husband was injured. An 85-year-old Israeli was killed when a suicide bomber exploded in an Egged No. 823 bus as it entered the AfulaAfulaAfula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
central bus station. - 7 March: Five Israeli teenagers were killed and 23 injured when a Palestinian gunman penetrated a school in the Gush KatifGush KatifGush Katif was a bloc of 17 Israeli settlements in the southern Gaza strip. Gush Katif was specifically mentioned by Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli prime minister who fell victim to an assassin in 1995, as essential to Israel's security border. In August 2005, the Israeli army moved the 8,600...
settlement of Atzmona. Hamas gunmen entered the southern Gush KatifGush KatifGush Katif was a bloc of 17 Israeli settlements in the southern Gaza strip. Gush Katif was specifically mentioned by Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli prime minister who fell victim to an assassin in 1995, as essential to Israel's security border. In August 2005, the Israeli army moved the 8,600...
community, opening fire and throwing hand grenades at the school and nearby houses. One of those killed sustained third degree burns over 90% of his body after a grenade was thrown through the window of his dorm room. He died of his wounds in the hospital 5 hours after the attack. - 9 March: A 9-month-old baby and a man were killed when two Palestinians opened fire and threw grenades at cars and pedestrians in the coastal city of Netanya, close to the city's boardwalk and hotels. 11 people killed and 54 others wounded when a suicide bomber exploded in the crowded Cafe Moment in the center of Jerusalem.
- 12 March: One Israeli killed and another wounded in a shooting attack at the Kiryat Sefer checkpoint, east of Modi'in. Six people (three men and three women, including a teenager) killed when two gunmen opened fire from an ambush on Israeli vehicles traveling between ShlomiShlomiShlomi or Shelomi can refer to:* Shlomi - the Hebrew name "שלומי" or "שלמי"* Shlomi, Israel - a development town in Israel* Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi - an Israeli film* Shlomi Arbeitman - an Israeli professional footballer...
and KibbutzKibbutzA kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
Metzuba near the northern border with LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. - 14 March: An Israeli tank is destroyed by a mine near Netzarim, killing 3 soldiers and wounding 2. DFLP and Fatah claimed responsibility.
- 17 March: An 18-year-old girl was killed and 16 people were injured when a gunman opened fire on passersby in the center of Kfar Sava.
- 20 March: Seven Israelis killed in a suicide bombing of an Egged bus No. 823 traveling from Tel Aviv to NazarethNazarethNazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, near AfulaAfulaAfula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
. - 21 March: Three people killed and 86 injured when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb, packed with metal spikes and nails, in the center of a crowd of shoppers on King George Street in the center of Jerusalem.
- 24 March: Esther Kleinman, 23 years old, of N'vei Tzuf was shot and killed on the Abud Bypass Road in the Shomron en route to work as a kindergarten teacher in the community of Ofrah. Avi Sabag, 24 years old, of Otniel was shot to dead by gunmen as he was returning home from shopping for PassoverPassoverPassover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
in Jerusalem. He was driving in the Hevron Hills area near his home community. - 27 March: The Passover MassacrePassover massacreThe Passover massacre was a suicide bombing carried out by Hamas at the Park Hotel in Netanya, Israel on March 27, 2002, during a Passover seder. Thirty civilians were killed in the attack and 140 were injured...
: 30 Israelis were killed and over 140 wounded when a suicide bomber exploded in the crowded dining room of the Park Hotel in NetanyaNetanyaNetanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
. - 28 March: Four family members killed in Elon MorehElon MorehElon Moreh is an Israeli settlement located in the Samarian hills of the West Bank northeast of Nablus on the slopes of the Mount Kabir ridge....
, when a Palestinian gunman infiltrated the hilltop community near NablusNablusNablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, burst into their home, and shot them. - 29 March: Two elderly men were stabbed to death while on their way to the synagogue for morning prayers, when a Palestinian gunman infiltrated the Neztarim settlement in the Gaza StripGaza Stripthumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. - 30 March: Two people killed when a female suicide bomber blew herself up in the Kiryat YovelKiryat YovelKiryat HaYovel is a neighborhood in southwestern Jerusalem on Mount Herzl. It was built in the early 1950s to house new immigrants...
supermarketSupermarketA supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
in Jerusalem. Some 30 people were injured in a suicide bombing in a cafe in southern Tel-Aviv. One of the victims, a 36-year-old woman, died of her wounds five days later. - 31 March: 15 people killed in a suicide bombing in HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, in the Matza restaurant of the gas station near the "Grand Canyon" shopping mall.
April (death toll: 30) (excluding Jenin fatalities)
- 1 April: A 19-year-old police volunteer was killed in Jerusalem, when a Palestinian suicide bomber driving toward the city center blew himself up after being stopped at a roadblock. The Fatah al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.
- 10 April: Eight people killed and 22 wounded in a suicide bombing on Egged bus #960, en route from Haifa to Jerusalem, which exploded near Kibbutz YagurYagurYagur is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located on the slopes of Mount Carmel about 9 km southeast of Haifa, it is one of the two largest kibbutzim in the country, with a population of 1,124 in 2008. It falls under the jurisdiction of Zevulun Regional Council....
, east of HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. - 12 April: Seven people killed by a woman suicide bomber who detonated a powerful charge at a bus stop on Jaffa roadJaffa RoadJaffa Road is one of the longest and oldest streets in Jerusalem. It crosses the city from east to west, from the Old City walls to downtown Jerusalem, the western portal of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway. It is lined with shops, businesses and restaurants...
next to the entrance to Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda open-air market. Another 104 people were injured in the blast, among them nine Arabs. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack. - 17 April: Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
resident Meir Franco, 48, was murderMurderMurder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed by gunman in SinaiSinai PeninsulaThe Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
. - 27 April: Four people, including a 5-year-old girl, killed when gunmen dressed in IDF uniforms and combat gear cut through the settlement's defensive perimeter fencePerimeter fenceA perimeter fence is a structure that circles the perimeter of an area to prevent access. These fences are frequently made out of single vertical metal bars connected at the top and bottom with a horizontal bar. They often have spikes on the top to prevent climbing. Residential perimeter fences are...
and entered AdoraAdoraAdora may refer to:* Adora , a town mentioned in the Apocrypha* Adora, Har Hebron, an Israeli settlement on the West Bank* Adora , a novel by Bertrice Small* Princess Adora, a cartoon character from She-Ra: Princess of Power...
, west of HebronHebronHebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
. The gunmen entered several homes, firing on people in their bedrooms. - 29 April: Israeli forces invaded the West Bank town of Hebron and killed nine Palestinians. In the Church of the NativityChurch of the NativityThe Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. The structure is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth, and thus it is considered sacred by Christians...
in BethlehemBethlehemBethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
, a Palestinian gunmen was shot dead by Israeli snipers. http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,707023,00.html - From 03 April to 12 April: 52 PalestiniansPalestinian peopleThe Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
, 22 of them civilians and 23 IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i soldiers were confirmed killed in Jenin. http://www.un.org/peace/jenin/
May (death toll: 30)
- 7 May: 15 people killed and 55 wounded when a suicide bomber detonated a powerful charge in a game club located on the 3rd floor of a building in Rishon LeZion, causing part of the building to collapse. HamasHamasHamas 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...
claimed responsibility for the attack. - 12 May: An Israeli settler of Pe'at Sadeh in the southern Gaza StripGaza Stripthumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
was shot and killed by a Palestinian laborer, when he came to pick him up at a checkpoint. - 19 May: Three Israelis killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded section of Netanya's open-air market.
- 21 May: One Israeli injured when a bomb explodes Kehilat Katzuvitch Street in northern Tel Aviv.
- 22 May: Two people (one of them a teenager) are killed in suicide bombing in the heart of Rishon LeZion.
- 27 May: A woman and her infant granddaughter, aged 14 months, of Petah TikvaPetah TikvaPetah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
were killed when a suicide bomber detonated himself near an ice cream parlor outside a shopping mall. - 28 May: Two Israelis were killed when shots were fired at the car in which they were traveling south on the RamallahRamallahRamallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
bypass road. Three yeshiva high school students killed in Itamar, southeast of NablusNablusNablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, when a Palestinian gunman infiltrated the community and opened fire on the teenagers. - 29 May: Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops. On in the southern Gaza StripGaza Stripthumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
in Khan YunisKhan YunisKhan Yunis - often spelt Khan Younis or Khan Yunnis - is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 180,000 in 2006...
and one gunman belonging to Islamic JihadIslamic Jihad Movement in PalestineThe Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine known in the West as simply Palestinian Islamic Jihad , is a small Palestinian militant organization. The group has been labelled as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel...
in JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
on the West Bank. Additionally, four homes were blown up and 20 damaged in RafahRafahRafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...
. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/29/1054177670738.html
June (death toll: 54)
- 5 June: 17 people killed when a car packed with a large quantity of explosives struck Egged bus No. 830 traveling from Tel-Aviv to Tiberias at the Megiddo junctionMegiddo JunctionThe Megiddo Junction is an intersection of Highways 65 and 66 in northern Israel, located near kibbutz Megiddo. A major landmark is a large prison . Nearby are the sites of some ancient battles of Megiddo and the ruins of Megiddo .The five kilometre stretch of Highway 65 east towards Afula is...
near Afula. The car exploded near the gasoline tank of the bus, causing it to burst into flames. Most of the casualties were soldiers who were on their way to their bases. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack. - 6 June: 18-year-old Israeli student died of gunshot wounds to the chest sustained in a shooting attack near OfraOfraOfra is an Israeli settlement located in the northern West Bank in the jurisdiction of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. It is situated on the main road between Jerusalem and Nablus , 25 km from Jerusalem and has 3,200 inhabitants ....
, north of RamallahRamallahRamallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
, when Palestinian gunmen opened fire in an ambush. - 8 June: Three Israelis, including a ninth month pregnant woman, were shot dead when gunmen infiltrated the community of Carmei TzurCarmei TzurKarmei Tzur, or Carmei Tzur is a communal settlement and Israeli settlement in the West Bank located north of Hebron in the Judean hills between the Palestinian towns Beit Ummar and Halhul. The National Religious community with a population of 725 is within the municipal jurisdiction of the Gush...
north of HebronHebronHebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
. - 8 June: A terroristTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
infiltrated into the Jordan ValleyJordan Valley (Middle East)The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
community of Mechora. A woman was murderMurderMurder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed and her husband, 30, wounded. - 11 June: A 14-year-old girl was killed when a Palestinian suicide bomber set off a relatively small pipe bomb at a shwarma restaurant in HerzliyaHerzliyaHerzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²...
. - 18 June: 19 people killed and 74 wounded in a suicide bombing at the Patt junction in Egged bus no. 32A traveling from GiloGiloGilo is a neighborhood in southern East Jerusalem with a population of 40,000, mostly Jewish. It is one of the five ring neighborhoods of Jerusalem and is built on land in the West Bank that was annexed to Israel in 1980 under the Jerusalem Law. The international community regards it as an...
to the center of Jerusalem. The bomber boarded the bus at the stop in Beit SafafaBeit SafafaBeit Safafa is an Arab neighborhood in south Jerusalem midway between the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Patt and Gilo, on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Beit Safafa had a population of 5,463 in 2000. It covers an area of 1,577 dunams.-History:...
, an Arab neighborhood opposite Gilo, and almost immediately detonated the large bomb which he carried in a bag stuffed with ball bearings. The blast destroyed the front half of the bus, packed with people on their way to work and schoolchildren. - 19 June: Seven people, including a 5-year-old girl and her grandmother, were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a crowded bus stop and hitchhiking post at the French Hill intersection in northern Jerusalem.
- 20 June: Five people, including a mother and three of her sons, were murdered when a gunman entered their home in Itamar, south of Nablus, and opened fire.
July (death toll: 29)
- 16 July: Nine people (two men, six women, and an infant child) were killed in an attack on Dan bus no. 189 traveling from Bnei Brak to Emmanuel in the northern West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. Two 20-kilo bombs were set off about 200 meters from the town's entrance, damaging the bus's front tires and forcing it off the road. The explosion damaged the bus doors, trapping the passengers inside. The militants then started to shoot at the bus, firing through the unprotected roof and throwing grenades through the narrow upper windows, which are not armored. - 17 July: Five people were killed and about 40 injured in a double suicide bombing on Neve Sha'anan Street near the old central bus station in Tel Aviv. The bombs, which were strapped to the waists of the bombers, contained nails and metal shards.
- 25 July: A 43-year-old RabbiRabbiIn Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
was killed and another civilian injured in a shooting attack near the West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
community of Alei ZahavAlei ZahavAlei Zahav is a communal village and an Israeli settlement located on the western edge of the northern West Bank, about 20 km east of Tel Aviv, and overlooking Israel's main Ben Gurion International Airport...
, west of Ariel. - 26 July: A couple and their 9-year-old son were killed in a shooting attack south of Hebron. Two of their other children were injured.
- 30 July: Two brothers were shot and killed when their truck came under fire in the West Bank village of Jama'in, near Ariel, apparently while selling diesel oil to a cement factory in the village.
- 31 July: Nine people, some of them American students, were killed when a bomb exploded in the Frank Sinatra cafeteria on the Hebrew University Mt. Scopus campus in Jerusalem.
August (death toll: 15)
- 1 August: A 27-year old Israeli man was found shot in the head at point-blank range and bound, west of Tulkarem, near the Green LineGreen Line (Israel)Green Line refers to the demarcation lines set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and its neighbours after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
. - 4 August: Nine people were killed in the suicide bombing of Egged bus No. 361 traveling from Haifa to SafedSafedSafed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
at the MeronMeronA meron or half-instanton is a Euclidean space-time solution of the Yang-Mills field equations. It is a singular non-self-dual solution of topological charge 1/2. The instanton is believed to be composed of two merons....
junction in northern Israel. The blast blew off the roof of the bus, which then burst into flames, killing or wounding nearly everyone inside. A 34-year-old Israeli and a 52-year-old Palestinian were killed when a Palestinian gunman opened fire with a pistol near the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem's Old City. - 5 August: A young Israeli couple were killed when gunmen opened fire on their car as they were traveling on the Ramallah-Nablus road near Eli in the northern West Bank. One of their children was wounded in the attack.
- 10 August: A 31-year-old woman was killed and her husband seriously wounded when a Palestinian gunman infiltrated Moshav Mechora in the Jordan ValleyJordan Valley (Middle East)The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
, and opened fire outside their home.
September (death toll: 10)
- 5 September: A MerkavaMerkavaThe Merkava is a main battle tank used by the Israel Defense Forces. The tank began development in 1974 and was first introduced in 1978. Four main versions of the tank have been deployed. It was first used extensively in the 1982 Lebanon War...
heavy tank was destroyed by a mine near the Kissufim Crossing, killing 1 soldiers and wounding 3. Popular Resistance Committees claimed responsibility. - 18 September: The charred body of a 67-year old Israeli construction contractor was found near al-Azzariya, a Palestinian village near the settlement of Ma'ale AdummimMa'ale AdummimMa'ale Adumim is an Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank, seven kilometers from Jerusalem. Ma'ale Adumim achieved city status in 1991. In 2011, the population was 39,000. Ma'ale Adumim is the third largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank after Modi'in Illit, and Beitar Illit. The...
, east of Jerusalem. A 36-year-old Israeli was killed when gunmen opened fire on his car near Mevo Dotan, north of JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
in the West Bank. An Israeli policeman was killed and three people were wounded in a suicide bombing at a bus stop at the Umm al Fahm junction. - 19 September: Six people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb in Dan bus No. 4 on Allenby Street, opposite the Great Synagogue in Tel-Aviv. HamasHamasHamas 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...
claimed responsibility for the attack. - 23 September: A 48-year-old man was killed and three of his children wounded, one seriously, in a shooting attack near the Cave of the PatriarchsCave of the PatriarchsThe Cave of the Patriarchs or the Cave of Machpelah , is known by Muslims as the Sanctuary of Abraham or Ibrahimi Mosque ....
in Hebron during the SukkotSukkotSukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
festival.
October (death toll: 22)
- 8 October: A 51-year-old Israeli was critically wounded in an ambush shooting south of Hebron. He died of his wounds the following day. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.
- 9 October: Palestinian gunmen shot and wounded four Israelis traveling in a car near Hebron.http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/09/world/israel-defiantly-warns-of-more-antiterror-raids-in-gaza.html?scp=4&sq=Hebron&st=nyt
- 10 October: A 71-year-old woman was killed and about 30 people were wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up while trying to board Dan bus No. 87 across from Bar-Ilan UniversityBar-Ilan UniversityBar-Ilan University is a university in Ramat Gan of the Tel Aviv District, Israel.Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is now Israel's second-largest academic institution. It has nearly 26,800 students and 1,350 faculty members...
on the Geha highway (Route 4) in central Israel. - 21 October: 14 persons were killed when a bus was blown up in a suicide attack by a bomber driving an explosives-laden jeep near the Karkur junction.
- 27 October: Three IDF soldiers killed in a suicide bombing at the Sonol gas station at the entrance to Ariel in the northern West Bank while trying to prevent the bomber from detonating the bomb. About 20 people were wounded in the bombing.
- 29 October: A woman and two 14-year-old girls were shot dead by a Palestinian gunman who infiltrated the settlement of HermeshHermeshHermesh is a communal village and an Israeli settlement in the western Samarian hills of the West Bank. It falls under the jurisdiction of Shomron Regional Council...
, north of TulkarmTulkarmTulkarem or Tulkarm is a Palestinian city in the northern Samarian mountain range in the Tulkarm Governorate in the extreme northwestern West Bank adjacent to the Netanya and Haifa districts to the west, the Nablus and Jenin Districts to the east...
, in the northern West Bank. A soldier and a resident were wounded in the assault.
November (death toll: 51)
- 4 November: Two persons killed when a Palestinian suicide bomber detonated himself at a Kfar Sava shopping mall.
- 6 November: Two Israeli farmers were shot to dead by a Palestinian gunman posing as a worker near Pe'at Sadeh in the southern Gaza Strip.
- 10 November: Five people, including a mother and her 4- and 5-year-old children, were shot and killed by a gunman who infiltrated Kibbutz Metzer, located east of Hadera near the Green Line. The gunman shot the mother and children as they hugged one another.
- 15 November: 12 people killed, nine soldiers and three paramilitary security guards from the Kiryat ArbaKiryat ArbaKiryat Arba or Qiryat Arba , lit. "Town of the Four," is an Israeli settlement in the Judean Mountains region of the West Bank on the edge of Hebron. Its settlers consist of a mix of Russian immigrants, American immigrants, and native-born Israelis numbering close to 10,000...
emergency response team, and 15 wounded in Hebron when Palestinian militants drew security forces into an ambush2002 Hebron ambushThe 2002 Hebron ambush took place in the Wadi an-Nasara neighborhood in Hebron in the West Bank on November 15, 2002. Israeli forces were subjected to a series of ambushes by fighters from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Twelve Israeli combatants, including three officers, were killed in the battle,...
. - 21 November: 11 people killed and about 50 wounded in a suicide bombing on a No. 20 Egged bus in the Kiryat Menahem neighborhood of Jerusalem. Most of the victims were high-school students on their way to school.
- Iain Hook shot and killed by an Israeli sniper. He was a British worker for UNRWA in JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
. - 28 November: Kenyan hotel bombingKenyan hotel bombingThe 2002 Mombasa attacks refer to an Israeli-owned hotel and a plane belonging to an Israeli airline in Mombasa, Kenya that were targeted on 28 November 2002. A red all-terrain vehicle crashed through a barrier outside the Paradise Hotel and blew up when it hit the lobby. Also two surface-to-air...
: Three Israelis, including two brothers, and 10 KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
ns killed when a car bomb exploded in the lobby of the Israeli-owned beachfront Paradise Hotel, frequented almost exclusively by Israeli tourists near MombasaMombasaMombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
in KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. 21 Israelis and 60 Kenyans were wounded in the attack. Six Israelis were killed when two gunmen opened fire and threw grenades at the LikudLikudLikud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
polling station in Bet She'anBet She'anis a city in the North District of Israel which has played an important role historically due to its geographical location at the junction of the Jordan River Valley and Jezreel Valley...
, where party members were casting their votes in the LikudLikudLikud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
primary.
December (death toll: 14)
- 20 December: A 40-year-old rabbi was shot and killed on the Kissufim corridor road (in the Gaza Strip) while driving with his wife and six children to attend a pre-wedding SabbathShabbatShabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
celebration in AfulaAfulaAfula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
. The Islamic JihadIslamic Jihad Movement in PalestineThe Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine known in the West as simply Palestinian Islamic Jihad , is a small Palestinian militant organization. The group has been labelled as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel...
claimed responsibility for the attack. - 26 December: In NablusNablusNablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
, Israeli troops killed two Palestinians. A Palestinian who had opened fire against a patrol, and a 15 year old Palestinian boy who got killed in the crossfire. In Tulkarem, one man was killed when he tried to escape arrest. According to Palestinian and Israeli sources he was a member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. In RamallahRamallahRamallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
three Palestinians, one of them a HamasHamasHamas 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...
member, were killed by Israeli troops in separate incidents. In the West Bank village of QabatiyaQabatiyaQabatiya or Qabatia is a Palestinian town located in the northern West Bank 6 km south of the city of Jenin. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 49,198 in 2007....
, Hamza Abu Roub, a top Islamic JihadIslamic Jihad Movement in PalestineThe Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine known in the West as simply Palestinian Islamic Jihad , is a small Palestinian militant organization. The group has been labelled as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel...
leader, was killed while resisting arrest. Four IDF soldiers were wounded in the incident. Thereafter Abu Roub's house was blown up. In the Gaza StripGaza Stripthumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
Israeli troops killed two Hamas members which were attempting an attack on the NetzarimNetzarimNetzarim may refer to:* Netzarim, twigs that shoot off from a branch of a tree * Netzarim , the name of an Israeli settlement in the Gaza Strip...
settlement. http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/12/26/mideast/ - 27 December: Two IDF soldiers and two yeshiva students were killed in an attack on the HesderHesderHesder is an Israeli yeshiva program which combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service in the Israel Defense Forces, usually within a Religious Zionist framework...
yeshiva (military religious academy) of Otniel.