Hamas explosives chief behind the 1995 Beit Lid junction attack. The 2015 opening called him “one of the senior operatives in Hamas' military-terrorist apparatus”; today terror appears 0 times anywhere in the article.
Read line by line and written up by hand.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-01. “terror” appeared 6 times in this article's opening at its peak. Today it appears nowhere in the article, references included.
We saved snapshots of this article over twenty years; you are reading the 2015 one. Red dashes: removed from Wikipedia since.Pale dots: rewritten; the numbered note shows what it says now.Red text: written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot.1 tap a number or a side note to jump between them
The opening as it read in 2015
Adnan al-Ghoul Adnan Al-Ghoul (c. 1962 – 21 October 2004) ( ) was the assistant of Mohammed Deif , the leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades , the armed wing of Hamas . He was killed in a targeted killing along with Imad Abbas when an Israeli Air Force Apache helicopter fired missiles at their car in Gaza on 21 October 2004. By Hamas members he is seen as a martyr.1 Adnan Al-Ghoul was one of the senior operatives in Hamas' military-terrorist apparatus. He specialized in explosives and among other attacks was behind the 1995 terrorist attack at the Beit Lid junction in central Israel , and the 1996 bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv, together responsible for the deaths of 32 Israelis. Adnan was not an "ordinary rank-and-file" terrorist operative but rather a top-ranking terrorist of Hamas' military-terrorist apparatus in the Gaza Strip.2 He specialized in the preparation of IEDs and developed the Qassam rocket system for Hamas (earning him the nickname "father of the Qassam"). He was the right-hand man of Muhammad Deif, head of Hamas' military-terrorist wing, and had an important role in Hamas' plot to sabotage the Oslo Accords. He also prepared the explosive belt for the 1996 Purim suicide bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv , in which ten Israeli civilians were killed. He died in an Israeli Air Force targeted killing on 21 October 2004. Identified by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as Hamas' top bombmaker, he joined the organisation soon after its creation in 1988. He then served as an assistant to Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades's top engineer, Yahya Ayyash . Al-Ghoul took over Ayyash's role in 1996, after his mentor's targeted killing. Early in the Al-Aqsa intifada , Al-Ghoul developed the Qassam rocket . Al-Ghoul also masterminded the development of weapons made from raw material and equipment smuggled into the Gaza Strip using tunnels in Rafah , on the border with Egypt . Among those weapons, anti-tank rockets such as the Al-Bana , the Batar , and later the Yasin were often used by Hamas in its attacks against the Israeli army in Gaza, as well as for defense purposes during IDF's incursions. Al-Ghoul lived in hiding and never spoke to the media. Pictures of the 46-year-old father of four were released by Hamas only after his death. On 26 September 2003, he reportedly attended a meeting with Mohammed Deif , Ismail Haniya , one of Hamas' political leaders, and the organisation's spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yasin , when Israeli forces bombed the house where they gathered. Al-Ghoul's eldest son Bilal was killed in a 2001 air strike in Gaza, and his second son Mohammed was killed the following year along with a cousin during a botched raid in the family home in Maghazi , south of Gaza City . Although the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, for security reasons, withheld at the time the identities of the engineers that were involved with Al-Ghoul in overseeing the production of weapons for the group, it was disclosed in March 2006 that Abdel Mo'ti Abu Daf was, along with imad Abbas, Al-Ghoul's top assistant. Daf died on 26 February 2006 after a grenade accidentally detonated during a training.
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 647479602.
The opening as it stood in 2005
Adnan Al-Ghoul was the assistant of Mohammed Deif , the leader of the Ezzedeen-al-qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas . He was killed along with Imad Abbas in an airstike while riding in his car in Gaza on October 21st, 2004. Identified by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as Hamas' top bombmaker, he joined the organisation soon after its creation in 1988. He then served as an assistant to Ezeedeen-al-qassam's top engineer, Yahya Ayyash . Al-Ghoul took over Ayyash's role in 1996 after his mentor's assassination. Early in the Al-Aqsa intifada , Al-Ghoul developed the Qassam rocket . Al-Ghoul also masterminded the development of weapons made from raw material and equipment smuggled into the Gaza Strip using tunnels in Rafah , on the border with Egypt. Among those weapons, anti-tank rockets such as the Al-Bana , the Batar and later the Yasin were often used by Hamas in its attacks against settlements or Israeli soldiers in Gaza, as well as for defense purposes during IDF's incursions. Al-Ghoul was a shadowy figure who lived in hiding and never spoke to the media. Pictures of the 46 year-old father of four, were released by Hamas only after his death. On September 26th, 2003 he reportedly attended a meeting with Mohammed Deif, Ismael Haniya , one of Hamas' political leader, and the organisation's spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yasin , when Israeli forces bombed the house where they gathered. Al-Ghoul's eldest son Bilal was killed in a 2001 airstrike in Gaza, and his second son Mohammed was killed the following year along with a cousin during a botched raid in the family home in Maghazi , south of Gaza City .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 17341664.
The opening as it stood in 2010
Adnan al-Ghoul Adnan Al-Ghoul (c. 1962 – October 21, 2004) ( ) was the assistant of Mohammed Deif , the leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades , the armed wing of Hamas .He was killed along with Imad Abbas in an air strike while riding in his car in Gaza on October 21, 2004 .By Hamas members he is seen as a martyr. Identified by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as Hamas' top bombmaker, he joined the organisation soon after its creation in 1988. He then served as an assistant to Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades's top engineer, Yahya Ayyash . Al-Ghoul took over Ayyash's role in 1996 after his mentor's targeted killing. Early in the Al-Aqsa intifada , Al-Ghoul developed the Qassam rocket . Al-Ghoul also masterminded the development of weapons made from raw material and equipment smuggled into the Gaza Strip using tunnels in Rafah , on the border with Egypt . Among those weapons, anti-tank rockets such as the Al-Bana , the Batar and later the Yasin were often used by Hamas in its attacks against settlements or Israeli soldiers in Gaza, as well as for defense purposes during IDF's incursions. Al-Ghoul lived in hiding and never spoke to the media. Pictures of the 46 year-old father of four, were released by Hamas only after his death. On September 26, 2003 he reportedly attended a meeting with Mohammed Deif , Ismail Haniya , one of Hamas' political leaders, and the organisation's spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yasin , when Israeli forces bombed the house where they gathered. Al-Ghoul's eldest son Bilal was killed in a 2001 air strike in Gaza, and his second son Mohammed was killed the following year along with a cousin during a botched raid in the family home in Maghazi , south of Gaza City . Although the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, for security reason, withheld at the time the identities of the engineers that were involved with Al-Ghoul in overseeing the production of weapons for the group, it was disclosed in March 2006 that Abdel Mo'ti Abu Daf was, along with imad Abbas, Al-Ghoul's top assistant.Daf died on February 26, 2006, after a grenade accidentally detonated during a training.Data tabulated from B'Tselem Statistics, Fatalities
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 363293262.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Adnan al-Ghoul Adnan Al-Ghoul (c. 1962 – 21 October 2004) ( ) was the assistant of Mohammed Deif , the leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades , the armed wing of Hamas . He was killed in a targeted killing along with Imad Abbas when an Israeli Air Force AH-64 helicopter attacked their car in Gaza on 21 October 2004.He is seen as a martyr by Hamas members. Adnan Al-Ghoul was one of the senior operatives in Hamas' military-terrorist apparatus. He specialized in explosives and among other attacks was behind the 1995 terrorist attack at the Beit Lid junction in central Israel, and the 1996 bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv, together responsible for the deaths of 32 Israelis. Adnan was not an "ordinary rank-and-file" terrorist operative but rather a top-ranking terrorist of Hamas' military-terrorist apparatus in the Gaza Strip. He specialized in the preparation of IEDs and developed the Qassam rocket system for Hamas (earning him the nickname "father of the Qassam"). He was the right-hand man of Muhammad Deif, head of Hamas' military-terrorist wing, and had an important role in Hamas' plot to sabotage the Oslo Accords. He also prepared the explosive belt for the 1996 Purim suicide bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv , in which ten Israeli civilians were killed. He died in an Israeli Air Force targeted killing on 21 October 2004. Identified by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as Hamas' top bombmaker, he joined the organisation soon after its creation in 1988. He then served as an assistant to Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades's top engineer, Yahya Ayyash . Al-Ghoul took over Ayyash's role in 1996, after his mentor's targeted killing. Early in the Al-Aqsa intifada , Al-Ghoul developed the Qassam rocket . Al-Ghoul also masterminded the development of weapons made from raw material and equipment smuggled into the Gaza Strip using tunnels in Rafah , on the border with Egypt . Among those weapons, anti-tank rockets such as the Al-Bana , the Batar , and later the Yasin were often used by Hamas in its attacks against the Israeli army in Gaza, as well as for defense purposes during IDF's incursions. Al-Ghoul lived in hiding and never spoke to the media. Pictures of the 46-year-old father of four were released by Hamas only after his death. On 26 September 2003, he reportedly attended a meeting with Mohammed Deif , Ismail Haniya , one of Hamas' political leaders, and the organisation's spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yasin , when Israeli forces bombed the house where they gathered. Al-Ghoul's eldest son Bilal was killed in a 2001 air strike in Gaza, and his second son Mohammed was killed the following year along with a cousin during a botched raid in the family home in Maghazi , south of Gaza City . Although the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, for security reasons, withheld at the time the identities of the engineers that were involved with Al-Ghoul in overseeing the production of weapons for the group, it was disclosed in March 2006 that Abdel Mo'ti Abu Daf was, along with imad Abbas, Al-Ghoul's top assistant. Daf died on 26 February 2006 after a grenade accidentally detonated during a training.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 965274851.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Palestinian militant leader (c. 1962–2004) Adnan Al-Ghoul (c. 1962 – 21 October 2004) ( ) was the assistant of Mohammed Deif , the leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades , the armed wing of Hamas . He was killed in a targeted killing along with Imad Abbas when an Israeli Air Force AH-64 helicopter attacked their car in Gaza on 21 October 2004. He is seen as a martyr by Hamas members. Adnan Al-Ghoul was one of the senior operatives in Hamas' military-terrorist apparatus. He specialized in explosives and among other attacks was behind the 1995 terrorist attack at the Beit Lid junction in central Israel, and the 1996 bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv, together responsible for the deaths of 32 Israelis. Adnan was not an "ordinary rank-and-file" terrorist operative but rather a top-ranking terrorist of Hamas' military-terrorist apparatus in the Gaza Strip. He specialized in the preparation of IEDs and developed the Qassam rocket system for Hamas (earning him the nickname "father of the Qassam"). He was the right-hand man of Muhammad Deif, head of Hamas' military-terrorist wing, and had an important role in Hamas' plot to sabotage the Oslo Accords. He also prepared the explosive belt for the 1996 Purim suicide bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv , in which ten Israeli civilians were killed. He died in an Israeli Air Force targeted killing on 21 October 2004. Identified by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as Hamas' top bombmaker, he joined the organisation soon after its creation in 1988. He then served as an assistant to Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades's top engineer, Yahya Ayyash . Al-Ghoul took over Ayyash's role in 1996, after his mentor's targeted killing. Early in the Al-Aqsa Intifada , Al-Ghoul developed the Qassam rocket . Al-Ghoul also masterminded the development of weapons made from raw material and equipment smuggled into the Gaza Strip using tunnels in Rafah , on the border with Egypt . Among those weapons, anti-tank rockets such as the Al-Bana , the Batar , and later the Yasin were often used by Hamas in its attacks against the Israeli army in Gaza, as well as for defense purposes during IDF's incursions. Al-Ghoul lived in hiding and never spoke to the media. Pictures of the 46-year-old father of four were released by Hamas only after his death. On 26 September 2003, he reportedly attended a meeting with Mohammed Deif , Ismail Haniya , one of Hamas' political leaders, and the organisation's spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yasin , when Israeli forces bombed the house where they gathered. Al-Ghoul's eldest son Bilal was killed in a 2001 air strike in Gaza, and his second son Mohammed was killed the following year along with a cousin during a botched raid in the family home in Maghazi , south of Gaza City . Although the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, for security reasons, withheld at the time the identities of the engineers that were involved with Al-Ghoul in overseeing the production of weapons for the group, it was disclosed in March 2006 that Abdel Mo'ti Abu Daf was, along with imad Abbas, Al-Ghoul's top assistant. Daf died on 26 February 2006 after a grenade accidentally detonated during a training.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1177144318.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Palestinian militant leader (c. 1962–2004) ( Learn how and when to remove this message ) For the anti-materiel rifle, see Steyr HS .50 / HS .460 § Al-Ghoul . Adnan Al-Ghoul (c. 1962 – 21 October 2004) ( Arabic : عدنان الغول ) was the assistant of Mohammed Deif , the leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades , the armed wing of Hamas . He was killed in a targeted killing along with Imad Abbas when an Israeli Air Force AH-64 helicopter attacked their car in Gaza on 21 October 2004. He is seen as a martyr by Hamas members. Adnan Al-Ghoul was one of the senior operatives in Hamas' military apparatus. He specialized in explosives and among other attacks was behind the 1995 attack at the Beit Lid junction in central Israel, and the 1996 bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv, together responsible for the deaths of 32 Israelis. Adnan was not an "ordinary rank-and-file" operative but rather a top-ranking of Hamas' military apparatus in the Gaza Strip. He specialized in the preparation of IEDs and developed the Qassam rocket system for Hamas (earning him the nickname "father of the Qassam"). He was the right-hand man of Muhammad Deif, head of Hamas' military wing, and had an important role in Hamas' plot to sabotage the Oslo Accords. He also prepared the explosive belt for the 1996 Purim suicide bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv , in which ten Israeli civilians were killed. He died in an Israeli Air Force targeted killing on 21 October 2004. Identified by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as Hamas' top bombmaker, he joined the organisation soon after its creation in 1988. He then served as an assistant to Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades's top engineer, Yahya Ayyash . Al-Ghoul took over Ayyash's role in 1996, after his mentor's targeted killing. Early in the Al-Aqsa Intifada , Al-Ghoul developed the Qassam rocket . Al-Ghoul also masterminded the development of weapons made from raw material and equipment smuggled into the Gaza Strip using tunnels in Rafah , on the border with Egypt . Among those weapons, anti-tank rockets such as the Al-Bana , the Batar , and later the Yasin were often used by Hamas in its attacks against the Israeli army in Gaza, as well as for defense purposes during IDF's incursions. Al-Ghoul lived in hiding and never spoke to the media. Pictures of the 46-year-old father of four were released by Hamas only after his death. On 26 September 2003, he reportedly attended a meeting with Mohammed Deif , Ismail Haniyeh , one of Hamas' political leaders, and the organisation's spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yasin , when Israeli forces bombed the house where they gathered. Al-Ghoul's eldest son Bilal was killed in a 2001 air strike in Gaza, and his second son Mohammed was killed the following year along with a cousin during a botched raid in the family home in Maghazi , south of Gaza City . Although the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, for security reasons, withheld at the time the identities of the engineers that were involved with Al-Ghoul in overseeing the production of weapons for the group, it was disclosed in March 2006 that Abdel Mo'ti Abu Daf was, along with imad Abbas, Al-Ghoul's top assistant. Daf died on 26 February 2006 after a grenade accidentally detonated during a training.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1283710735.
The opening as it stood in 2026
Palestinian militant leader (c. 1962 – 2004) For the anti-materiel rifle, see Steyr HS .50 / HS .460 § Al-Ghoul . ( Learn how and when to remove this message ) Adnan Al-Ghoul ( c. 1962 – 21 October 2004) ( Arabic : عدنان الغول ) was the assistant of Mohammed Deif , the leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades , the armed wing of Hamas . He was killed in a targeted killing along with Imad Abbas when an Israeli Air Force AH-64 helicopter attacked their car in Gaza on 21 October 2004. He is seen as a martyr by Hamas members. Adnan Al-Ghoul was one of the senior operatives in Hamas' military apparatus. He specialized in explosives and among other attacks was behind the 1995 attack at the Beit Lid junction in central Israel, and the 1996 bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv, together responsible for the deaths of 32 Israelis. Adnan was not an "ordinary rank-and-file" operative but rather a top-ranking of Hamas' military apparatus in the Gaza Strip. He specialized in the preparation of IEDs and developed the Qassam rocket system for Hamas (earning him the nickname "father of the Qassam"). He was the right-hand man of Muhammad Deif, head of Hamas' military wing, and had an important role in Hamas' plot to sabotage the Oslo Accords. He also prepared the explosive belt for the 1996 Purim suicide bombing at Dizengoff Center in the heart of Tel Aviv , in which ten Israeli civilians were killed. He died in an Israeli Air Force targeted killing on 21 October 2004. Identified by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as Hamas' top bombmaker, he joined the organisation soon after its creation in 1988. He then served as an assistant to Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades's top engineer, Yahya Ayyash . Al-Ghoul took over Ayyash's role in 1996, after his mentor's targeted killing. Early in the Al-Aqsa Intifada , Al-Ghoul developed the Qassam rocket . Al-Ghoul also masterminded the development of weapons made from raw material and equipment smuggled into the Gaza Strip using tunnels in Rafah , on the border with Egypt . Among those weapons, anti-tank rockets such as the Al-Bana , the Batar , and later the Yasin were often used by Hamas in its attacks against the Israeli army in Gaza, as well as for defense purposes during IDF's incursions. Al-Ghoul lived in hiding and never spoke to the media. Pictures of the 46-year-old father of four were released by Hamas only after his death. On 26 September 2003, he reportedly attended a meeting with Mohammed Deif , Ismail Haniyeh , one of Hamas' political leaders, and the organisation's spiritual leader, Sheik Ahmed Yasin , when Israeli forces bombed the house where they gathered. Al-Ghoul's eldest son Bilal was killed in a 2001 air strike in Gaza, and his second son Mohammed was killed the following year along with a cousin during a botched raid in the family home in Maghazi , south of Gaza City . Although the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, for security reasons, withheld at the time the identities of the engineers that were involved with Al-Ghoul in overseeing the production of weapons for the group, it was disclosed in March 2006 that Abdel Mo'ti Abu Daf was, along with imad Abbas, Al-Ghoul's top assistant. Daf died on 26 February 2006 after a grenade accidentally detonated during a training.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1359117492. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
“terror” appeared 6 times in this article's opening at its peak. Today it appears nowhere in the article, references included. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
2026
terror
0
0
6
6
6
0
0
militant
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
martyr
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
Filenames as Wikipedia recorded them at each snapshot. Interface icons are filtered out; these are photographs, maps and documents.
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.