Raed al Atar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Commander of al-Qassam Brigades in Rafah
Raed al Atar
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| Born | 1974 Palestine, Gaza |
| Died | 21 August 2014 (aged 39 or 40) Rafah, Gaza |
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Raed al Atar (1974–2014) was a leader in the military group called the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, which is part of Hamas. He was in charge of their operations in Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip. He was also a member of Hamas's main military council.
Experts like Jim Zanotti from the Congressional Research Service noted that al Atar's role was very important. This was because Rafah is a key area for tunnels used to move goods into the Gaza Strip from Egypt. In 2010, al Atar was said to have a lot of power in Gaza. He was seen as the third most important military leader by Israel.
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Early Life and Activities
In April 1995, Raed al Atar was found to have been involved in activities that broke the rules. He was sentenced to two years in jail by the Palestinian National Authority.
Involvement in Key Events
Gilad Shalit's Capture and Release
In 2006, al Atar played a part in an event where an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, was captured. He was also present when Shalit was released in 2011, as part of a prisoner exchange.
During the 2009 Gaza War
During the 2009 conflict in Gaza, al Atar went to Arish in the Sinai Peninsula. He was with Mohammed Sanwar, another person who helped with the capture of Gilad Shalit. In that same year, al Atar told reporters that Hamas would capture more soldiers if Israel did not agree to release 1,450 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit.
Rocket Attacks in 2010
Reports suggest that al Atar gave permission for rockets to be fired from the Sinai Peninsula in August 2010. These rockets were aimed at Eilat in Israel and Aqaba in Jordan. Palestinian sources said that al Atar approved this attack. They also mentioned that Iranian intelligence agents supported it. Some reports said this happened without the direct knowledge of his commander, Ahmed Jabari. However, Egyptian officials believed such an operation would need Jabari's approval.
Death
Raed al Atar was killed on August 21, 2014. He died along with two other senior Hamas members during an Israeli airstrike in Rafah. This happened during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict.
Images for kids
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Raed al Atar
