The assassination of Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi occurred on 17 April 2004 when an Israeli Air Force AH-64 Apache helicopter fired Hellfire missiles at his vehicle in Gaza City. This event ended a tenure as the political leader of Hamas, a role he assumed only weeks earlier following the killing of the movement's founder, Ahmed Yassin.
Early Life and Academic Background
Born in 1947 in Yibna, Mandatory Palestine, al-Rantissi experienced the displacement of his family to the Gaza Strip during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. At age nine, he witnessed his uncle killed by Israeli soldiers in Khan Younis. He later pursued higher education in Egypt, attending Alexandria University. He excelled in his studies, graduating first in his class in pediatric medicine and genetics. During his time in Egypt, he became a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. In 1976, he returned to Gaza, where he served as a physician and taught parasitology and genetics at the Islamic University of Gaza.
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Following a 1987 traffic accident that resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians, al-Rantissi joined figures such as Ahmed Yassin and Salah Shehadeh to organize protests. These activities marked the beginning of the First Intifada and contributed to the formation of Hamas. Al-Rantissi served as the first deputy chairman of the Hamas Shura Council from December 1987 until March 2004. In 1992, he was deported to southern Lebanon along with 416 other operatives, where he acted as a general spokesman for the group.
Leadership and Death
On 23 March 2004, al-Rantissi was named the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He maintained a position of opposition to compromise with Israel, advocating for a Palestinian state achieved through military action. His leadership was brief, lasting until his death in April 2004. The missile strike that killed him also resulted in the deaths of his son, Mohammed, and a bodyguard, Akram Nassar. His wife, Jamila Abdallah Taha al-Shanti, was later elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council.
Fast facts
- Born: 1947, Yibna
- Died: 17 April 2004, Gaza City
- Education: Alexandria University
- Occupations: Physician, politician
- Citizenship: Palestine
- Political affiliation: Hamas
- Children: Six
Questions readers ask
What was al-Rantissi's profession before entering politics?
He was a trained physician, having graduated first in his class at Alexandria University in pediatric medicine and genetics.
What position did he hold within Hamas before becoming leader?
He served as the first deputy chairman of the Hamas Shura Council from 1987 until March 2004.
Achievements
- Educated at Alexandria University
- Worked as politician and physician
