A three-day general strike was declared in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip from mosque loudspeakers on Monday to protest Israeli assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.  

Thousands of school children and university students did not go to school or university Monday, and instead they headed to Shiffa Hospital, where Yassin's body was kept. Thousands of others went to his house in Sabra neighborhood in Gaza.

Flames and black smoke were coming out from different parts of Gaza as a result of burning tires in the main streets of the city. Thousands of Palestinians marched in the streets of Gaza City as well as many other Palestinian towns, villages and refugee camps.

Different Palestinian armed groups have vowed revenge for Israel's assassination of Yassin, warning attacks against Israel "would be escalated."

Israeli Apache helicopters fired three missiles at Yassin before dawn Monday as he was leaving a mosque near his house in Gaza City, Palestinian medical sources and witnesses said.

Yassin and the bodies of five others were brought to Shiffa Hospital in Gaza City, the sources said, adding that 17 others were injured, including two of Yassin's children.

(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2004)