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{{Short description|Series of suicide bombings in Israel}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Infobox terrorist attack
| title = 2004 Ashdod Port bombings
| partof = the [[Second Intifada]] militancy campaign
| map = {{location map|Israel ashkelon|caption=|float=center}}
| image = Ashdod picargo.jpg
| caption = Port of Ashdod in 2006
| location = Ashdod, Israel
| target = 
| date = {{start date and age|2004|3|14}}
| coordinates = {{coord|31|49|49|N|34|38|29|E|display=inline,title}}
| time = 16:20 pm
| time-begin =
|map_caption=The attack site
| time-end =
| timezone =
| type = [[Suicide bombing]]
| fatalities = 10 civilians (+2 bombers)
| injuries = 16 civilians
| perps = [[Hamas]] and [[Fatah]] claimed responsibility
| numparts = 2
}}
The '''2004 Ashdod Port bombings''' were two [[suicide bombing]]s carried out nearly simultaneously on March 14, 2004 at the [[Port of Ashdod]] in [[Ashdod]], [[Israel]]. As a result, 10 civilians were killed and 16 were injured. [[Hamas]] and [[Fatah]] claimed joint responsibility for the attack.

==The attack==
<gallery caption="Memorial for the attack victims">
File:הפיגוע בנמל אשדוד.jpg|alt=
File:PikiWiki Israel 32266 Memorial to the victims of the terror attack in As.jpg|alt=
File:PikiWiki Israel 5385 memorial to terorist victims in ashdod port.jpg|alt=
</gallery>On Sunday, March 14, 2004, two [[Palestinian people|Palestinian]] suicide bombers who wore explosive belts hidden underneath their clothes approached the [[Port of Ashdod]]. Despite the vast security arrangements at the compound, the two suicide bombers managed to infiltrate the compound.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

At 16:20 pm the suicide bombers detonated their explosive devices - one exploded himself in an office building inside the compound, and the other exploded after a few moments at the entrance to the compound. The force of the blast killed ten civilians, most of them were port workers, and injured 16 others.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

== The perpetrators and Israeli response ==
[[Hamas]] and [[Fatah]] claimed joint responsibility for the attack and stated that the attack was carried out by two 18-year-olds from the [[Jabalya]] refugee [[Palestinian refugee camps |camp]] in the [[Gaza Strip]].<ref name="MFA">{{cite news|url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2004/3/Suicide%20bombing%20at%20Ashdod%20Port%2014-Mar-2004|author=Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs|title=Suicide Bombing at Ashdod Port|access-date=1 January 2009|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120805200141/http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2004/3/Suicide+bombing+at+Ashdod+Port+14-Mar-2004.htm|archive-date=5 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The two assailants managed to infiltrate Israel from Gaza by hiding in a container that went through the [[Karni Crossing]].<ref name="MWJ">{{cite news|url=http://www.mua.org.au/journal/julaug_2004/ashdod.html|title=Port Blast|year=2004|publisher=Maritime Workers Journal|access-date=2009-01-02|archive-url=https://archive.today/20060823030308/http://www.mua.org.au/journal/julaug_2004/ashdod.html|archive-date=2006-08-23|url-status=dead}}</ref> A Hamas leader in Gaza stated that the original plan was that the suicide bombers would blow up fuel tanks at the port; Israel said the bombers intended to carry out a "mega attack" with hundreds of casualties, but instead blew themselves up hundreds of meters from the tanks.<ref name="MWJ" /> Later on it was revealed that the attack was financed and directed by [[Nizar Rayan]].<ref name="jpost">{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/Israel/IDF-kills-top-Hamas-terrorist-Rayyan|title=IDF kills top Hamas terrorist Rayyan|last=Katz|first=Yaakov|date=2 January 2009|publisher=The Jerusalem Post|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref> In response, Hamas founder [[Ahmed Yassin]] was [[Killing of Ahmed Yassin |killed]] along with his bodyguards and several bystanders (eleven people in total) by hellfire missiles fired at his wheelchair from Israeli helicopters in [[Gaza City]].<ref>{{cite news |title=How a quadriplegic charity worker became the founder of Hamas |url=https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/if-youre-listening/how-a-quadriplegic-charity-worker-became-the-founder-of-hamas/102992256 |access-date=14 August 2024 |work=ABC listen |date=18 October 2023 |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Israeli missile strike kills Hamas founder|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/03/22/israeli-missile-strike-kills-hamas-founder/|work=Chicago Tribune|date=March 22, 2004|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723211709/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-03-22/news/0403220106_1_israelis-in-suicide-bombings-gaza-city-militant-hamas-movement|archive-date=23 July 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Pi Glilot bombing]]
*[[Israeli casualties of war]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3510708.stm Suicide blasts kill 11 Israelis] - published on [[BBC News]] on March 14, 2004
* [https://nypost.com/2004/03/15/bomb-fiends-kill-11-israel-cancels-this-weeks-summit Bomb fiends kill 11 - Israel cancels this week's summit] - published on [[New York Post]] on March 15, 2004
* [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/mar/15/israel Suicide bombers kill 10 at Israeli port] - published on [[The Guardian]] on March 15, 2004
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/15/world/suicide-bombers-kill-10-in-israel-and-derail-prime-ministers-talks.html Suicide Bombers Kill 10 in Israel, And Derail Prime Ministers' Talks] - published on [[The New York Times]] on March 15, 2004

{{Terrorist attacks against Israelis in the 2000s}}
{{Palestinian militancy attacks in the 2000s}}
{{Israeli-Palestinian Conflict}}
{{Hamas}}
{{Fatah}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashdod Port bombings, 2004}}
[[Category:Mass murder in 2004]]
[[Category:Suicide bombings in 2004]]
[[Category:Ashdod|2004 Ashdod Port bombings]]
[[Category:Hamas suicide bombings]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Israel in 2004]]
[[Category:Al-Qassam Brigades Operations]]
[[Category:March 2004 in Asia]]
[[Category:March 2004 crimes in Asia]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2004]]
[[Category:Israeli casualties in the Second Intifada]]
[[Category:Fatah attacks]]

2004 Ashdod Port bombings - Revision history

imported>Hjoim at 12:53, 11 April 2025