Excluding the bomber, 15 in the lunchtime crowd have so far died, including five members of one family. Of the more than 130 original injured, several dozen remain hospitalized, including one in critical condition and three in serious condition.

Police said that an initial investigation indicated that the bomber was carrying “a medium-sized bomb in a bag” slung over his shoulder when he entered the restaurant. The bomb was loaded with nails and shrapnel to enhance the impact of the blast.

"There were wounded people, blood everywhere," said a volunteer medic at the scene. "The whole restaurant was in pieces." The scene was described as "horrific, like after a battle – parents were looking for their children and children were looking for their parents. I don't remember an attack with so many children hurt."

One soldier reported seeing a mother sobbing inconsolably after discovering her child had been killed.

Hamas claimed credit for the bombing and released a picture of the man they say was the bomber, Izzedine Shuhin al-Masri, 23, from Jenin on the West Bank. The statement said that al-Masri was avenging the Israeli killing of Hamas militants last week in Nablus.

Israel dismisses PA cease-fire calls, criticizes inaction against terror
Fearing a powerful Israeli reprisal, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat yesterday issued a statement condemning the attack and called on Israel to join him in a “joint declaration for a cease- fire” leading to the implementation of the Mitchell Report recommendations for a cooling-off period “under international supervision.”

The White House issued a statement condemning the attack and calling on both sides to exercise restraint. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said that while he appreciated Arafat’s statement of condemnation, he called on Arafat to take action against the terrorists and their handlers.

Raanan Gissin, a spokesman for Prime Minister Sharon, dismissed Arafat’s statement as a “ploy.” He said that Arafat is “heading a consortium of terrorist organizations that he can control when he wants to.”

Indeed, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres reportedly told his Jordanian counterpart that the handler of the suicide bomber was on a list of seven wanted men that Israel had published late last week with a demand that Arafat arrest them. Arafat had refused.

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