Hamas Suicide Bomber Kills 22 on Tel Aviv Bus
Devastating attack on Dizengoff Street marks escalation in Hamas campaign to derail peace process through terror in Israeli cities.
A Hamas suicide bomber detonated explosives on a crowded bus in central Tel Aviv this morning, killing 22 people and wounding 48 in the deadliest attack inside Israel since the signing of the Oslo Accords. The bombing on busy Dizengoff Street sent shockwaves through Israeli society.
The attack occurred at 9 AM when the Number 5 bus was packed with commuters and soldiers heading to work. The bomber, later identified as 19-year-old Salah Abdel Rahim Souwi from Gaza, boarded the bus and detonated an explosive device filled with nails and ball bearings for maximum casualties.
Hamas claimed responsibility, stating the attack was revenge for the Hebron mosque massacre eight months ago. The group vowed to continue operations until Israel withdraws from all Palestinian land and releases all prisoners.
Prime Minister Rabin, visiting the carnage, faced angry crowds demanding he halt the peace process. “We will not let terror defeat peace,” Rabin insisted, but announced a closure of the West Bank and Gaza, preventing Palestinian workers from entering Israel.
The bombing poses a severe test for Yasser Arafat, who condemned the attack but faces pressure from Israel to crack down on Hamas infrastructure in areas under Palestinian control. The attack has strengthened Israeli opposition to further territorial concessions.
The Tel Aviv bombing demonstrates Hamas’s ability to strike at Israel’s heart, using suicide attacks as a strategic weapon to polarize both societies and undermine moderates seeking compromise. The peace process, already fragile, faces its gravest challenge yet.