Gaza mourners eye looming storm

Eyewitness By Matthew Price BBC correspondent in Gaza

Militants in a silent show of force at Sheikh Yassin's mourning tent

As I look down on them at the moment, the streets of Gaza are extremely quiet.

Gaza is normally a very busy city but most people are indoors today.

There is very little activity - shops are shut, schools are closed, universities are shut and most businesses are not up and running.

One of the places where there has been activity has been one of the football grounds in the city, which is the site of the bereavement tent for Sheikh Yassin.

I have come here because yesterday a man sitting in his wheelchair was killed by the Israelis and I feel I need to pay my respects to him Mourner in Gaza Jerusalem braced for attacks

The green flags of Hamas have been flying there, with many thousands of people queuing up throughout the day to pay their respects and to shake hands with various political leaders and members of Hamas.

There is no sign of the chest-beating rhetoric of revenge here, although obviously people are still talking about Hamas enacting revenge for the killing of Sheikh Yassin.

Hidden anger

I spoke to one man who said, "I am just an ordinary person, I don't get involved in politics."

"I am not a member of Hamas, but I have come here because yesterday a man sitting in his wheelchair was killed by the Israelis and I feel I need to pay my respects to him."

Of course, the Israelis would argue this was no ordinary man sitting in his wheelchair - they would say this was a man who directed a terrorist campaign against Israel.

Arabs throughout the region observed a day of mourning

I was struck by the lack of anger on the streets of Gaza, compared with some of the scenes that we saw yesterday during the funeral and the demonstrations.

You have to remember, of course, that we are on the second day of a period of mourning.

I talked to one Palestinian man about this and asked him where he thought the anger that we saw yesterday was, and he replied, "It is hidden away in our hearts at the moment."

I think that sums up what people here are feeling.

Retaliation

There is certainly a sense of disbelief amongst some people at what Israel has done, that Israel was prepared to go so far as to kill the spiritual leader of Hamas.

Many people here are calling this a red line over which Israel has stepped.

Mourners console Sheikh Yassin's wife (centre) in Gaza on Tuesday

This has created a deep sense of anger which is not showing itself on the streets - but it is certainly there.

This is the reason why most people here expect Hamas to do what they have threatened - take revenge for the killing of their spiritual leader.

Some people on the streets of Gaza have expressed fear for what may happen now, that perhaps we are about to see a new bloodier phase of the conflict.

Certainly, no one wants to predict violence.

However, the events of the last few years have shown that when Israel does assassinate members of Hamas or other leaders in Gaza or the West Bank, then the militant groups will try to stage some sort of retaliation.