GAZA, April 18 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of Palestinians attended Sunday the funeral of Hamas leader Abdel-Aziz Rantisi, who was assassinated during an Israeli air strike late Saturday in Gaza city.
Crowds of Palestinians marched through Gaza city holding Palestinian and green flags and pictures of Rantisi, as they headed to the hospital to collect his body to burial.
The marchers gathered at the entrance of the hospital while shouting "Allah Akbar" "Revenge, revenge, oh Qassam revenge."
As soon as Rantisi's body appeared, tens of Hamas followers rushed to carry it. Rantisi's body was wrapped with a green Hamas flag with the words "there is no God except one God" written on it.
Rantisi's face was unveiled, while the marchers turned into waves of mourners who called for immediate retaliation.
The mourners toured the city's streets while masked militants who were marching at ahead of his body fired bullets in the air as a sign of protest and chanted anti-Israeli slogans that pledged for a harsh response.
The mourners then headed to Rantisi's house in Al-Naser neighborhood, to allow his family a last farewell. There, a large number of Rantisi's supporters were waiting for him.
His two bodyguards, who were killed in Saturday's raid along with Rantisi, were also buried.
After prayers, the mourners headed to Al-Sheikh Radwan graveyard, where the three men were laid to rest, as crowds of Palestinian men, women and even children chanted slogans.
Rantisi was killed only three weeks after the killing by Israel in a similar manner of Hamas' founder and spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yassin on March 22. Rantisi was named in his place on March 24.
Salma Abu Sultan, 35 year-old Palestinian and mother of four, said while marching in the funeral procession, "I still can't believe that it this has happened, it hasn't even been a month since Sheik Yassin was killed."
A group of young Palestinian students, who also attended the funeral, said that they hoped that Rantisi would somehow survive the attack.
"We heard that he was seriously injured, so I went with my friends to a nearby mosque and prayed to God that he could make it this time, but few minutes later we heard that he died," said Yasser, 21 year-old student at the Islamic university in Gaza city.
The Israeli Army had previously tried to kill Rantisi in June 2003 by firing from a helicopter against his car while he was caught in traffic in a crowded street in Gaza. Rantisi had survived with minor injuries.
Since then, the Israeli government repeatedly stated that Rantisi, as well as all other Hamas representatives and leaders were not immune from Israeli Army attacks.
Israeli threats to liquidate Rantisi mounted in the wake of Sheik Yassin's assassination last month. But Rantisi refused to lay low and remained in constant contact with the media.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qureia said Sunday that assassinating the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas, was carried out because of U.S. encouragement towards Israel.
"Assassinating Rantisi is a direct result of the U.S. administration's encouragement and total bias to the Israeli government," said Qureia.
