Jerusalem: Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi was killed in an Israeli helicopter missile strike today (Apr 18, 2004), hundred metres within the place where the movement's spiritual leader Sheikh Yassin was assassinated in a similar fashion less than a month ago.

Rantisi, his bodyguard Akram Nassar and his son Mohammed were travelling in a car, which was completely burnt and twisted in the attack, hospital officials said.

Certain media reports quoted hospital sources and Hamas sources as saying that Rantisi's wife was also in the car but her condition and location was not known.

The assassination was quite premonitory for the hard-line leader appointed head of the Islamic organisation in Gaza following Yassin's assassination.

In a defiant speech during the mourning of Sheikh's death he said, "We will all die one day. Nothing will change. If by Apache or by cardiac arrest, I prefer Apache."

Rantisi was taken to Gaza's Shifa Hospital in critical condition and died five minutes after his arrival.

Palestinians assembled in large numbers following the attack calling for revenge.

The attack comes hours after a border policeman was killed and three other Israelis were wounded in a suicide bombing at the Erez Crossing in Gaza, jointly claimed by Hamas and Yasser Arafat's Fatah.

Israel tried to assassinate Rantisi, considered one of the uncompromising hardliners in Hamas, earlier on June 10 but he escaped.

The high profile figure in the movement who donned the role of its spokesman before being elevated to his present status was a regular on television and radio channels, constantly urging his followers to wage war against the Zionist Israeli regime.