Palestinians remember Hamas chief

By Alan Johnston BBC News, Gaza

Many people in Gaza believe Hamas has a right to retaliate

Across the Middle East at Friday prayers, the thoughts of Muslims turned to Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

But nowhere would the sense of sadness and loss have been stronger than at the mosque in the as-Sabra district of Gaza City.

The young imam, making the address, reminded his audience that the mosque had been founded by Sheikh Yassin.

He had been worshipping there moments before he was struck by an Israeli rocket on Monday, as he made his way in his wheelchair to his nearby home after dawn prayers.

Hamas is ready to shake Israel Imam at as-Sabra mosque

The imam began gently enough. He talked of Sheikh Yassin's sense of humour, saying that it was always easy for him to make people smile.

But his rhetoric quickly grew harsher as he turned his fire on those who killed the Hamas leader.

"If the Zionists thought that by killing Sheikh Yassin they would kill Hamas they were dreaming," the cleric said. "Hamas is ready to shake Israel."

Bloody revenge

It was the kind of language that has been used again and again at mourning ceremonies and demonstrations that have gone on for days in the aftermath of the assassination.

Nobody here doubts that Hamas' threats are being made in deadly earnest.

Israelis will remember [Sheikh Yassin] as the driving force behind waves of suicide attacks

People in Gaza believe the organisation will do everything it can try to avenge the death of its leader in the bloodiest way.

Voices of moderation have been virtually absent, or at least drowned out, by the clamour for revenge.

There is always a significant proportion of the population that does not approve of Hamas' suicide attacks on civilian targets in Israel, but that strength of feeling fluctuates.

If there is very little criticism at the moment it is partly because there is considerable sympathy for Hamas. Its leader was genuinely respected far beyond its ranks.

Strong affection

There is a sense here that Israel crossed a red line with the assassination. There is a widely-held feeling in Gaza that Hamas has a right to retaliate.

The strength of affection for Sheikh Yassin was apparent in streets around his mosque as local people emerged from Friday prayers. A neighbour talked of how much Sheikh Yassin had done for the poor.

People in Gaza had great affection for Sheikh Yassin

As Hamas' leader he was head of its vast social welfare network that tries to ease suffering caused by poverty on the strip.

Sheikh Yassin was also admired as an Islamic scholar. His neighbour talked of the manner in which he always managed to convey the message of Islam in simple, powerful ways.

Israel though will remember Sheikh Yassin in very different terms. Israelis will remember him as the driving force behind waves of suicide attacks.

To take one example, they will remember the attack in the city of Netanya that wiped out an entire family on Passover night in the spring of 2002.