[4] On Wednesday, October 26, 2005, during the afternoon hours, a Palestinian suicide bomber who wore an explosive belt hidden underneath his clothes approached the open market place in the small Israeli coastal town of Hadera.

The market place was busy with shoppers in advance of a Jewish Holiday, with many stocking up for the weekend.

[5] The Islamist militant organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, and stated that the attack was carried out in revenge for the Israeli targeted killing of the Islamic Jihad commander Luay Saadi.

Abu al-Muaman, one of the organization's leaders, stated in the press that "This attack is merely a preliminary response by the Palestinian rebellious groups, and harder retaliation is on its way.

"[6] Israel retaliated by killing an Islamic Jihad's top commander in northern Gaza and another militant in an airstrike.