| Matza restaurant suicide bombing | |
| Partof: | the Second Intifada militancy campaign |
| Location: | Haifa, Israel |
| Native Name: | הפיגוע במסעדת מצה |
| Native Name Lang: | heb |
| Coordinates: | 32.7886°N 35.0025°W |
| Time: | 3:00 pm |
| Timezone: | UTC+2 |
| Type: | Suicide bomber |
| Fatalities: | 16 civilians (+1 bomber) |
| Injuries: | 40+ civilians |
| Perpetrator: | Hamas claimed responsibility |
| Assailant: | Shadi Tobassi |
The Matza restaurant suicide bombing occurred on March 31, 2002, when a Palestinian Hamas suicide bomber detonated his bomb inside the Matza restaurant in Haifa, Israel, near the Grand Canyon shopping mall, killing 16 Israeli civilians including children and injuring over 40 people.[1] [2]
The military wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that the bombings would continue as long as the siege of then President of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.[3] In addition, Hamas spokesman stated that the suicide bomber was a 22-year-old Palestinian named Shadi Tubasi who originated from the Jenin area.[4]