people, said Wednesday May 21, that terrorists are now using female suicide bombers as part of an apparent shift in strategy.
"The Palestinian who killed three people at the Afula mall on Monday (May 19) was the first female suicide bomber for which a religious terrorist organization claimed credit," the ICEJ said.
Hiba Da’arma, from a northern Jordan Valley village, was said to be the fifth female suicide bomber. "Secular Fatah militias recruited the other four, but this attack was a joint venture – Fatah supplied the bomber, Islamic Jihad supplied explosives and transportation, " the well informed ICEJ News Service said.
The ICEJ warned that the "increased and now accepted use of female suicide bombers in Palestinian society presents a problem for Israeli security, since it widens the profile of potential perpetrators."
Like Hamas, Islamic Jihad originally raised both religious and social objections to female bombers. "But the cooperation this time suggests that the Islamic organizations have overcome religious and social objections to using women. Even Hamas, which still says it would not use a woman as a bomber, has begun using women in supporting roles, " said the ICEJ via its news service.
Wafa Idris, the first female suicide bomber, was a 27-year-old divorcee with no children, and the second female suicide bomber, Darin Abu Aisha, 22, was another divorcee whose ex-husband and brother had both recently been killed by Israeli forces.
However the third woman, Iyat al-Ahris, was 18-years-old, an outstanding high school student and engaged to be married. Her family publicly cursed the Fatah activists who celebrated her attack, ICEJ said.
The family of the fourth female bomber, Andalib Takatka, a 20-year-old single woman, was reportedly also upset and the Hamas group denounced the Fatah organization for recruiting her. The family of Monday’s attacker, Da’arma, a 20-year-old single, university student, was reportedly also shocked.
The ICEJ News Service quoted Her brother, Sa’id, as saying she was not a member of any organization and never discussed politics. However Islamic Jihad claimed credit for the attack, publishing a video of her discussing the bombing, news reports said.
