2004 Erez Crossing bombing

2004 suicide bombing yes October 2023 Erez Crossing bombing ErezCrossing.jpg the Second Intifada militancy campaign Israel northwest negev The attack site Erez Crossing, 2005 Erez Crossing, Southern District, Israel 2004 1 14 9:30 am Suicide bombing 5 (including the perpetrator) 10 Hamas Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades Fatah Fatah Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades Reem Salah Riyashi The Erez Crossing bombing was a Palestinian suicide bombing which occurred on January 14, 2004, at the Erez Crossing, a pedestrian and cargo terminal located on the Gaza–Israel barrier. Four Israelis and the suicide bomber were killed. Additionally, 10 people, including four Palestinians, were injured in the attack. The bomber was a 22-year-old Palestinian mother of two from Gaza named Reem Riyashi. Hamas and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed joint responsibility for the attack, stating that it was a response to weeks of Israeli incursions into West Bank cities that had left approximately 25 Palestinians dead. Attack On Wednesday, 14 January 2004, around 9:30 am, Reem al-Reyashi, a female Palestinian suicide bomber, approached the pedestrian/cargo terminal Erez Crossing.http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/IsraelUnderAttack/Erez+Crossing1/Erez+Crossing.htm Erez Crossing October 17, 2011 May 27, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190527215006/http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/IsraelUnderAttack/Erez+Crossing1/Erez+Crossing.htm live It is a border crossing where thousands of Palestinians who cross each day from Gaza to work in a neighbouring industrial zone are processed.Chris McGreal 15 January 2004 Human-bomb mother kills four Israeli at Gaza checkpoint https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jan/15/israel 2 September 2007 The Guardian March 8, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220308142946/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jan/15/israel live The IDF reported that when she reached the metal detector at the terminal, Riyashi pretended to be disabled and claimed to have metal plates in her leg that sounded the alarm. She asked to have a body search instead. After being taken to an area where a group of soldiers and policemen were checking bags, she was told to wait for a woman to come and search her in a cubicle. It was then that she detonated the concealed 2 kg explosive device, which killed herself, two Israeli soldiers, a policeman and a civilian security worker, and injured seven other Israelis and four Palestinians. Three soldiers and one civilian employee of the Erez crossing were killed in the attack.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3395177.stm BBC NEWS - Middle East - Gaza attack kills four Israelis 14 January 2004 14 December 2014 February 13, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260213222429/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3395177.stm live 10 people, including four Palestinians, were injured in the attack.http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/01/14/israel.blast/ CNN.com - Female suicide bomber kills at least 4 Israelis - Jan. 14, 2004 CNN 14 December 2014 March 4, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304204147/http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/01/14/israel.blast/ live Later that night, Israel handed her body back to Hamas, where it was picked up by an ambulance. Hamas members stated that a coffin was brought to Al-Shifa Hospital, where she was placed and then taken to Gaza City's main mosque, where prayers were held, before she was buried. 20 men carried the coffin, wrapped in a green flag, on which was written "There is no God but Allah," while 100 people shot rifles in the air, waved green flags, and shouted slogans.2004-01-15 Palestinians bury woman suicide bomber - UPI.com https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2004/01/15/Palestinians-bury-woman-suicide-bomber/69021074194742/ 2026-08-08 United Press International en August 8, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260808172442/https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2004/01/15/Palestinians-bury-woman-suicide-bomber/69021074194742/ live Victims Staff Sergeant Tzur Or, 20, of Rishon Lezionhttps://www.haaretz.com/2004-01-15/ty-article/staff-sergeant-tzur-or-20-rishon-letzion/0000017f-db05-d4e1-a57f-fbc5566d0000 Staff Sergeant Tzur Or, 20, Rishon Letzion Haaretz https://web.archive.org/web/20241202134247/https://www.haaretz.com/2004-01-15/ty-article/staff-sergeant-tzur-or-20-rishon-letzion/0000017f-db05-d4e1-a57f-fbc5566d0000 2 December 2024 registration live Corporal Andrei Kegeles, 19, of Nahariyahttps://www.haaretz.com/2004-01-15/ty-article/corporal-andrei-kegeles-19-nahariya/0000017f-e9f7-da9b-a1ff-edff5d570000 Corporal Andrei Kegeles, 19, Nahariya Haaretz 15 January 2004 registration https://web.archive.org/web/20250809135213/https://www.haaretz.com/2004-01-15/ty-article/corporal-andrei-kegeles-19-nahariya/0000017f-e9f7-da9b-a1ff-edff5d570000 9 August 2025 live Gal Shapira, 28, of Ashkelonhttps://www.haaretz.com/2004-01-15/ty-article/gal-shapira-28-ashkelon/0000017f-ea46-ddba-a37f-ea6e09510000 Gal Shapira, 28, Ashkelon https://web.archive.org/web/20250710024740/https://www.haaretz.com/2004-01-15/ty-article/gal-shapira-28-ashkelon/0000017f-ea46-ddba-a37f-ea6e09510000 10 July 2025 Haaretz 15 January 2004 registration live Staff Sergeant Vladimir Trostinsky, 22, of Rehovothttps://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2004/01/15/young-mother-kills-4-at-gaza-crossing/634d19bd-ee67-44a5-b47f-d471b34379e2/ Young Mother Kills 4 at Gaza Crossing Molly Moore 15 January 2004 The Washington Post subscription December 2, 2024 August 28, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20241202133837/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2004/01/15/young-mother-kills-4-at-gaza-crossing/634d19bd-ee67-44a5-b47f-d471b34379e2/ live Perpetrators Hamas and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed joint responsibility for the attack. A Hamas spokesman stated that the suicide bomber was a 22-year-old Palestinian mother of two from Gaza named Reem Riyashi (ar ريم صالح الرياشي Rīm Ṣāliḥ ar-Riyāshī). She was born in 1981 or 1982 in Sheik Ajlin, Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Unlike most bombers, Riyashi came from a wealthy family. She was the eighth Palestinian female suicide bomber, and the second to have left behind children. Riyashi was the first female suicide bomber sent by Hamas,Alvanou Maria Hijab of Blood: The role of Islam in Female Palestinian Terrorism http://www.erces.com/journal/articles/archives/v03/v03_02.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070928072034/http://www.erces.com/journal/articles/archives/v03/v03_02.htm 28 September 2007 2 September 2007 whose spiritual leader at the time, Ahmed Yassin had initially objected to the involvement of women in such actions, altering this position shortly before his assassination by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in March 2004.Naaman Dorit 2007 Brides of Palestine/Angels of Death: Media, Gender, and Performance in the Case of the Palestinian Female Suicide Bombers Signs University of Chicago Press 32 4 933–55 10.1086/512624 1545-6943 10.1086/512624 146697419 After having two children, Riyashi recorded a message. She was dressed in military fatigues, a black hijab and a black long-sleeve skirt, and she held an AK-47 assault rifle. She expressed her dream of being the first woman turning "[her] body into deadly shrapnel against the Zionists" since she was 13. She added that, while she did love her children, her love to see God was stronger. She said she "always wanted to be the first woman to carry out a martyrdom operation, where parts of [her] body can fly all over and "knocking the door of heaven"." The video was published after the attack.MacKinnon Ian 2023-12-19 'It was my wish to turn my body into deadly shrapnel against the Zionists' en The Times https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/it-was-my-wish-to-turn-my-body-into-deadly-shrapnel-against-the-zionists-3q29wgpsqmh live 19 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231219090942/http://web.archive.org/screenshot/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/it-was-my-wish-to-turn-my-body-into-deadly-shrapnel-against-the-zionists-3q29wgpsqmh 19 December 2023 subscription Reactions Family reaction At the time of Riyashi's death, her son Obeida was three years old, and her daughter Doha 18 months old.Chris McGreal 27 January 2004 Palestinians shocked at use of suicide mother https://www.theguardian.com/israel/Story/0,2763,1131866,00.html 2 September 2007 The Guardian London A traditional memorial tent was immediately set up by her family near her home in Gaza City. Riyashi's relatives had no explanation for why a mother with children so young would choose to become a suicide bomber. Her brother-in-law, Yusuf Awad, denounced the attack, adding that "we don't accept women doing such things." Palestinian public Hamas received widespread criticism among Palestinians and some supporters for deploying a young mother as a suicide bomber and for publishing photographs of Riyashi posing with her children and weapons. In one photograph, Riyashi's son is clutching what appears to be a mortar shell and is wearing a Hamas headband while another picture shows Riyashi gazing at her children. Hamas defended its decision to release the photographs stating that the pictures revealed the depth of the despair of Palestinian women and the depth of their desire to defeat the occupation. Sheikh Ahmad Yassin said that Riyashi's example would inspire more women to die in the fight against Israel, urging more to volunteer. Hani Almasri, a Palestinian journalist at Al-Ayyam, told the Associated Press that Hamas' decision to release the photographs damaged the Palestinian cause and that Hamas would gain little advantage by these actions since in his opinion, there was less support from among the Palestinian people for military operations than had been the case previously. Cultural depictions Riyashi's children appeared on a 2009 episode of Palestinian children's TV show Tomorrow's Pioneers.9 July 2009 שידורי הקיץ של חמאס: שחזור מות האם המחבלת Hamas summer broadcasts: reconstructing the death of the terrorist mother https://www.ynet.co.il/article/3744143 5 October 2025 Yedioth Ahronoth he October 5, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20251005193256/https://www.ynet.co.il/article/3744143 liveHancocks Paula 2009-07-15 Kids TV praises Gaza mom's suicide bombing - CNN.com https://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/07/15/tv.show/index.html 2026-08-04 www.cnn.com en July 1, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260701024036/https://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/07/15/tv.show/index.html live See also Female suicide bomber Wafa al Bass List of terrorist incidents, 2004 References 2 31.5582 N 34.5448 E source:wikidata title Category:Hamas suicide bombings Category:2004 mass murders Category:Terrorist incidents in Israel in 2004 Category:January 2004 crimes in Asia Category:January 2004 in Asia Category:Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades attacks Category:Israeli casualties in the Second Intifada Category:Suicide bombings in Israel Category:Suicide bombings in Palestine