September 7, 2008
Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC)

www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e005.htm As part of the Gaza Strip military buildup, women are trained for combatand for suicide bombing attacks. Hamas and the PIJ allowed media coverage offemale combatants during the lull in the fighting. Such public messages aredesigned to deter Israel from entering the Gaza Strip in the future.[for illustration seewww.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e005.htm ]A poster titled "Women suicide bombers" (Al-Istishhadiyyat) dedicated toPalestinian women who perpetrated suicide bombing attacks. In 2008, it wasprominently featured on the Hamas website Palestine-info.Overview1. As part of the military buildup of the Palestinian terroristorganizations in the Gaza Strip, which continues on a large scale even whenthe lull in the fighting is in place, the terrorist organizations providemilitary training to women, teenagers, and even children.1 During the lull,the terrorist organizatio
ns
allowed a Lebanese TV correspondent (and, priorto that, the Al-Jazeera TV channel2) to film and interview women terrorists.It is our assessment that by doing so, the terrorist organizations wish tocommunicate their commitment to the struggle against Israel and deter theIDF from entering the Gaza Strip following the lull.2. The women interviewed and featured on the media undergo defensivetraining (in case the IDF enters the Gaza Strip) and offensive training(such as firing rockets and perpetrating suicide bombing attacks). The womentrain in firing small arms, launching RPG rockets, throwing grenades,ambushes, attacking IDF soldiers, firing rockets, and blowing themselves upnear IDF soldiers using explosive belts.3. In the terrorist organizations' view, using women for combat activitieshas considerable operational advantages, the main of which is the relativeease they can operate without raising suspicions, both in the Gaza Strip(during IDF operations) and when perpetrating te
rrorist
attacks in Israeliterritory. It should be noted that, in the past, the various terroristorganizations (mainly Hamas, the PIJ, and Fatah) used women terrorists toperpetrate suicide bombing attacks in Israeli territory3 and to hit IDFsoldiers during activities in the Gaza Strip. For example:a. On November 6, 2006 , during IDF Operation Autumn Clouds, a woman suicidebomber attempted to hit a Giv'ati force south of Beit Hanoun. The forcespotted the suicide bomber and motioned her to stop, at which point she blewherself up, lightly injuring an IDF soldier. The PIJ claimed responsibilityfor the terrorist attack.[for illustration seewww.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e005.htm ]The suicide bomber Mirfat Amin Mas'oud reading her "last will" beforeleaving to perpetrate the suicide bombing attack. She said that hopefullyshe would go to heaven and meet her mother (Al-Jazeera, November 6, 2006).b. On November 23, 2006 , an IDF force spotted a female suici
de
bomber onthe outskirts of the Jebaliya refugee camp. She was carrying an explosivecharge and approaching the force. She blew herself up, lightly injuring fourIDF soldiers. Hamas claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack. Thesuicide bomber, who had formerly led women's demonstrations in the GazaStrip, was 57 years old. It was the first time such an old female suicidebomber was dispatched to perpetrate a terrorist attack.[for illustration seewww.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e005.htm ]Left: suicide bomber Fatima Najar reading her last will before embarking onthe suicide bombing (Al-Aqsa TV, November 23, 2006); right: Fatima Najarleading a women's demonstration at the entrance of Beit Hanoun in the winterof 2006 (NTV, August 19, 2008)4. Following is a summary of several reports which appeared on the Arabmedia, dealing with the terrorist organizations' training and use of femalesuicide bombers in the Gaza Strip during the past year.Hamas's
Izz
al-Din al-Qassam Brigades5. On August 19, 2008 , the Lebanese TV channel NTV (Al-Jadeed) aired aprogram about women belonging to Hamas's Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigadestraining in the Gaza Strip. The program showed women training in firingsmall arms, throwing grenades, and ambushing and attacking IDF soldiers. Thecorrespondent noted: "Every year, dozens of women in the Gaza Strip undergomilitary training, including students, mothers, and working women. They knowthat their part in the conflict is not limited to taking care of the injuredand the children. [They know] that what they do may change the balance ofpower [between the Palestinians and Israel ]." Following are several imagesfrom the NTV program:[for illustration seewww.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e005.htm ]Throwing a grenade while shouting "Allah Akbar" Firing small armsShooting a rifle with a telescopic sight6. Following are photographs taken before the lull in the fighting of womenb
elonging
to the Hamas movement on training and operative activity. Thephotographs appeared on the Internet forum of the popular TV channelAl-Jazeera (January 31, 2008).[for illustration seewww.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e005.htm ]A woman Hamas operative carrying an RPG launcher Female Hamas operativeswearing long skirts and veils about to fire a Qassam rocket. Two of themcarry an RPG launcher.The Palestinian Islamic Jihad7. A show aired on Lebanese TV channel NTV ( August 19, 2008 ) featured afemale operative of the PIJ's Jerusalem Brigades. Referring to herself as"Ashiqat al-Quds" (i.e., the woman who desires Jerusalem), she presented aready-to-use explosive belt and expressed her willingness to blow herself upamong IDF soldiers in case of an Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip.[for illustration seewww.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e005.htm ]The so-called "the woman who desires Jerusalem ",operative of the
Jerusalem Brigades (NTV, August 19)The explosive belt belonging to "the woman who desires Jerusalem" (NTV,August 19)8. The operative told the Lebanese television reporter that she had takenpart in combat operations before and noted that she was highly motivated tocontinue her activity. She also said she was engaged, but that she informedher fiancé that she would have to leave if duty called. She further stated:"Even if the Jews come on my wedding day, I will go out and confront them onmy wedding day. Nothing will stop me on my way to martyrdom..."Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades9. The Al-Jazeera forum ( January 31, 2008 ) published photographs of femaleAl-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (Fatah's military wing) operatives on training. Itwas said on the forum that Fatah women have carried out suicide bombingattacks. 4[for illustration seewww.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e005.htm ]Women operatives belonging to Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades networkstr
aining
in the Gaza StripWomen operatives belonging to Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades networks-----------------------------1 See our Information Bulletin: "Summer camps in the Gaza Strip run by Hamasand other terrorist organizations inculcate youngsters with radical Islamicideology and the culture of terrorism. Some camps offer military training toprepare future ranks of operatives for the terrorist organizations " (August 24, 2008 ).2 However, the terrorist organizations do not publicize the phenomenon ofwomen terrorists on their own Internet websites and other media.3 See, for instance, our Information Bulletin: "The Israel Security Agencyarrested two female residents of the Gaza Strip who, guided by thePalestinian Islamic Jihad, intended to perpetrate a double suicide bombingattack at a crowded place in Tel-Aviv and in Netanya" (June 17, 2007).4 For example, see our Information Bulletin : " A suicide bombing attackplanned to be carried out in Israel by a Palestinian female suic
ide
bomberwas thwarted at the Erez crossing in the Gaza Strip. The terroristinfrastructure of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the northern GazaStrip stood behind the terrorist attack, which was probably meant to takeplace in an Israeli hospital. The incident is yet another link in a longchain of Palestinian terrorist attacks thwarted since the lull in thefighting began" ( June 24, 2005 ).