Until 57-year-old Fatma Omar A-Najar blew herself up near Israel Defense Forces troops in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, most female suicide bombers had been single. There had also been a few married women - but the 57-year-old Najar was the first grandmother suicide bomber.

Najar, a resident of Jabalya, had nine children and over 40 grandchildren. On Thursday morning, she called her children and asked to see them. She visited those who did not come to see her, without explaining the urgency of the meeting. Her family did not know where she was going when she left her home at roughly 12:00 PM.

Her family tried to explain that there is nothing wrong with a woman, no matter how old she is, carrying out a suicide bombing. Following the suicide attack at the Erez crossing by Rim A-Riashi, who was married with two children, Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin issued a religious ruling permitting female suicide bombers.

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Najar's son Jihad told Haaretz that "a martyr's death is permitted for all, women and men." He said his father, Yusuf, died roughly one year ago but that his mother had been very politically involved prior to his death.

"She couldn't remain indifferent to the occupation: the destruction, the death, the invasions of Gaza, all of these pushed her to carry out an 'act of sacrifice,'" he said.

"She participated in women's marches in Beit Hanun to protect the militants in Nasser mosque, and participated in many Hamas activities," Najar said. "She brought great honor to us and the homeland. She connected all of us to the struggle."

"I have already been in an Israeli jail, but God willing I and all of the family will become martyrs, after the great honor we were granted by my mother's martyr's death," he said.