The Israeli assassination operations in 2003 claimed the lives of 196 Palestinians, 106 of whom were civilians, said a report released Tuesday by a number of humanitarian and legal institutions. 

According to the report, the year of 2003 has witnessed the largest number of Israeli assassinations against the Palestinian militants since the outbreak of the intifada (uprising) in September 2000.

The Israeli army carried out assassinations during raids into the Palestinian territories by dynamiting houses and bombing cars as well as using bomb letters or packages, the report said.

During the past year, the Israeli army assassinated Hamas political leader Ismail Abu Shanab and carried out two failed attempts on senior Hamas representatives Abdel-Aziz Al-Rantisi, Ismail Haneya and Mahmoud Al-Zahar.

In addition, Hamas spiritual leader and founder Ahmad Yassin also narrowly escaped an Israeli assassination.

The report termed June the bloodiest month of the whole year, during which the Israeli army carried out 11 assassinations that claimed the lives of 36 Palestinians.

In September, Israel carried out 11 similar operations and killed 14 Palestinians, including seven who were not targeted but happened to be at the scene of the attack, the report said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2004)