Nizar Rayan
Nizar Rayan | |
---|---|
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin | |
Personal details | |
Born | Islamic law | 6 March 1959
Known for | Hamas leadership |
Nizar Rayan (
Personal life
Rayan was born in
After his studies, Rayan returned to Gaza and was employed as an imam at several mosques,[5] Jabalia's Imad Aqil Mosque (also known as the "Mosque of martyrs") among them.[6][7][8] He later became a professor of Islamic law at the Islamic University of Gaza.[9][10][11] Rayan was a leading authority on Hadith (sayings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad), and he amassed a 5,000-book library in his home.[5] An Israeli intelligence source described Rayan as a strong opponent of Shia Islam, who opposed allowing any form of Shiia Islam to establish a foothold in Gaza and the West Bank.[3]
Eventually, according to
Rayan along with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad began to strongly advocate for
In 2001, Rayan sent his 22-year-old son on a suicide bombing mission, in which he died and killed two Israelis at the former
Rayan was one of the main commanders who oversaw the
Rayan was strongly opposed to the state of Israel.
Rayan married four women with whom he had 12 children.[23]
Hamas takeover of Gaza
Following the 2007 Hamas takeover of Gaza, Rayan said that "In a few hours, the secular era in Gaza will end without leaving a trace... Today heresy and apostasy ends. Today the struggle is between Islam and the non-muslim infidels, and it will end with the victory of the faith." He added that he would transform the PA security forces headquarters in Gaza to a mosque. Following the speech, Fatah members expressed great fear that Hamas would transform Gaza into a
Gaza war
During the Gaza war, most of the Hamas political leadership went underground, however despite not being part of the Qassam brigades wing Nizar involved himself militarily in the conflict. He justified his position in an interview by saying that “By God, if they raid my home do I just tell them I am a member of the political organ? They are invading my country so it is my duty to fight them. To serve in politics does not mean I cannot fight those who force themselves on my country.” [26]
Family annihilation
Rayan and his entire family, including his spouses and all of his surviving children were killed in an
Unlike other Hamas leaders at risk of being targeted by Israel, Rayan did not go underground after the first Gaza war with Israel began in late December 2008.
Rayan was the most senior Hamas member killed in a targeted killing since
References
- ^ الغارات الإسرائيلية على قطاع غزة تودي بحياة قيادي بارز في حماس (alarabiya)
- ^ According to The Independent, Rayan was born in 1956.[1]
- ^ International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism. Archived from the originalon 28 August 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
- ^ a b Ghazali, Said; MacIntyre, Donald (2 January 2009). "Profile of a professor who was prepared for martyrdom". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i No tears for Hamas leader in Ramallah[permanent dead link], Jerusalem Post, 1 January 2009.
- ^ a b Nizar Rayan UK Guardian 3 January 2009
- ^ "Top Hamas figure killed in Israeli airstrike; Israel demands monitors as part of a Gaza truce". NBC News. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Israel fells key Hamas strongman, escalating conflict; says it's ready for ground invasion" New York Daily News 1 January 2009
- ^ a b "Israel kills senior Hamas figure". AlJazeera.Net. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ a b "IAF kills one of Hamas' top five leaders in Gaza". Haaretz. 1 January 2009. Archived from the original on 3 January 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ a b Hedges, Chris (2 January 2009). "Lost in the Rubble". truthdig. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
- ^ a b c "Israeli strike kills senior Hamas leader". Reuters. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
- ^ a b c "Obituary: Nizar Rayyan" BBC 1 January 2009
- ^ a b Khalil, Ashraf; Burai, Ahmed (1 January 2009). "Israeli strike kills a top Hamas leader in Gaza". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ a b "Strike Kills Hamas Leader as Israel Demands Global Monitors for Truce". FOX News. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "Hamas leader, 20 Palestinians killed in IAF strikes". Ynet. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ "Profile: Nizar Rayyan". Al Jazeera. 4 January 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
- ^ "Hamas Senior Official Rayyan Killed in Israeli Strike". Bloomberg L.P. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
- ^ Hardline Hamas leader killed in air strike on Gaza home The Telegraph 1 January 2009
- ^ Exposing the bitter truth of Gaza carnage The Age (Australia) 23 June 2007
- ^ "Gaza-Westbank–ICRC Bulletin No. 22/2007" Reuters 15 June 2007
- ^ a b c Goldberg, Jeffrey (2 January 2009). "Nizar Rayyan of Hamas on God's Hatred of Jews". The Atlantic. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
- ^ "Israel destroys Hamas homes, flattens Gaza mosque". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2 January 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "Gaza May Turn into Taliban-Style Emirate". The Journal of Turkiah Weekly. 20 June 2007. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
- ^ Hamas says will not follow Taliban method in Gaza. Xinhua, 14 June 2007
- ^ "when Saturday came".
- ^ Israel raids kill Hamas leader, take Gaza death toll past 400 AFP, 1 January 2009
- ^ Haaretz Correspondents and Agencies, Amos Harel and Yoav Stern (2 January 2009). "IDF targets senior Hamas figures". Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
- ^ a b The Associated Press (1 January 2009). "Child casualties mount in besieged Gaza". International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- ^ IOF Offensive on the Gaza Strip Continues for the 7th Consecutive Day Archived 13 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 15 January 2009
- ^ Abdulrahman, Mohammed (1 January 2009). "Hamas has gone underground". Radio Netherlands Worldwide. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
- ^ Butcher, Tim (1 January 2009). "Hardline Hamas leader killed in air strike on Gaza home". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
- ^ Kershner, Isabel Kershner; El Khodary, Taghreed (2 January 2009). "As bombing continues, Israel allows some foreigners to leave Gaza". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
- ^ "The Mujaheed Sheikh - Dr. Nizar Rayyan - The Spiritual Mentor of Iz A-Din Al Qassam Brigades". ICT. 4 January 2009. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
- ^ The killing of Nizar Rayan and 15 members of his family B'Tselem 4 January 2009
- ^ Factual and Legal Aspects, IMFA, July 2009