Watan-Social media influencers shed light on the story of the martyr of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, the late leader in the Rafah Brigade, Raed Al-Attar. Israeli researchers describe him as the “head of the snake” because he was the mastermind behind the idea of offensive tunnels in Gaza and one of the reasons for the Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory in 2005.
Journalist and researcher Ali Abu Rizk, writing on the (X) platform, reminisced about the late martyr, stating: “Israeli researchers call him the head of the snake, while if named by Palestinian researchers, he is the head or mastermind behind the idea of offensive tunnels.”
Abu Rizk emphasized that the concept of offensive tunnels “not only undermined the occupiers but was also a reason for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 and the release of more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners in 2011.”
يسميه الباحثون الإسرائيليون برأس الأفعى، بينما إن جازت تسميته من قبل الباحثين الفلسطينيين، فهو الرأس أو العقل المدبر لفكرة الأنفاق الهجومية، التي لم تُثخن في الاحتلال فقط، بل كانت سببا في الانسحاب الإسرائيلي من غزة عام 2005 وتحرير أكثر من ألف أسير فلسطيني عام 2011،
ولكن، هناك… pic.twitter.com/TV5Z5ia7OK
— Ali Abo Rezeg (@ARezeg) January 1, 2024
The story of the great commander Raed Al-Attar
Ali Abu Rizk shared insights into the life of the late Al-Qassam Brigades martyr Raed Al-Attar, noting a unique bond between him and his comrade, the prominent leader Abu Shamala. Abu Rizk mentioned that whenever the renowned leader, known by the alias “Abu Ayman,” is mentioned, it is always in association with his brother and companion on the path, Commander Mohammed Abu Shamala.
He continued, “Supporters of the resistance in Palestine understand the ‘Al-Attar and Abu Shamala’ syndrome. They joined the resistance together, survived assassination attempts together, were imprisoned in the Authority’s cells together, escaped together, and planned dozens of operations together before they both attained martyrdom in the late 2014 war.”
Among the notable points Abu Rizk highlighted about Al-Attar:
- The Palestinian people recognized him through repeated threats from the occupiers, but his image became engraved in their minds during one of the most epic scenes in the history of Palestinian resistance.
- He seized the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit from his captors and handed him over to the Chief of Staff, Abu Mohammed al-Jaabari, who, in turn, handed him to an Egyptian intelligence officer in exchange for a thousand Palestinian prisoners, including Yahya Sinwar.
- Al-Attar was not only responsible for the Rafah Brigade but was also the “mastermind” behind securing weapons not only for Hamas but for several Palestinian factions due to his extensive connections in the Egyptian and Palestinian Rafah.
- Despite challenging family issues, Tawfiq, for the eyes of Al-Attar, and the popular attachment to the man became evident when the Palestinian Authority sentenced him to death in 1999. This led to an uprising in Rafah, the siege of police stations, and a reconsideration of the verdict.
Abu Rizk described the late martyr Raed Al-Attar as a man equivalent to a hundred thousand men, stating, “Palestine and Gaza suffered a significant loss with his assassination in 2014, and I used to say that a man like him cannot be replaced.”
He concluded his tweet by saying, “The storm of Al-Aqsa proved that each stage has its heroes, and Gaza is an endless factory for men of great strength…!”
Operation “The Vanishing Deception”
The late leader Raed Al-Attar was notably involved in the significant operation known as “The Vanishing Deception,” which took place in 2006. In this operation, two Israeli soldiers were killed, and five others were injured. Additionally, the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured. Due to his role in this operation, the occupying forces considered Al-Attar the actual successor to the Chief of Staff of the Al-Qassam Brigades, Ahmed Al-Jaabari, who was assassinated in an airstrike during the 2012 Gaza offensive.
The Israeli media described Al-Attar as the “soldier capturer” whose life goal was to abduct soldiers for the purpose of liberating Palestinian prisoners. For years, Raed Al-Attar was among the most wanted for elimination by the occupying army, which attempted to assassinate him multiple times.
When Commander Ahmed Al-Jaabari was martyred, Al-Attar was also targeted by the occupation. In response, he commented, “We have no share… we were returning from Saudi Arabia just days before, having completed the Hajj pilgrimage. Our hope was to meet God thereafter.”
Raed Sabhi Al-Attar (Abu Ayman) was martyred on August 21, 2014, due to an Israeli airstrike on a house in Rafah during the Israeli war on Gaza, alongside his comrades Mohammed Abu Shamala and Mohammed Barhoum.