Within hours after the assassination of Hamas leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, tens of thousands of mourners jammed the streets of Gaza City for the funeral procession of him and the seven others killed in the early morning air strike. Twenty-one Palestinian police officers formed an honor guard as the coffin holding Yassin's mangled body was carried out of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
For their part, Hamas leaders vowed Monday to "cut off" the head of Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
"Sharon has opened the gates of hell and nothing will stop us from cutting off his head," leaders of Hamas vowed.
"Words cannot describe the emotion of anger and hate inside our hearts," said Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh. He said that "the enemy should expect a response that will turn the ground under his feet to hell...All of Palestine will turn into a volcano that will burn up the enemies."
Top Hamas official Abdel Aziz Rantisi said "Yassin is a man in a nation, and a nation in a man. And the retaliation of this nation, will be of the size of this man. You will see deeds not words."
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
