Israeli troops capture senior Hamas fugitive
Israeli troops captured a top Hamas fugitive today as they raided a stronghold of the Islamic militant group in Gaza City, killing two Palestinians and blowing up the home of a suspected bomb-maker.
The Israeli strike came in retaliation for a deadly Hamas attack on an Israeli tank over the weekend.
Thirteen Palestinians have been killed in the last 24 hours in the West Bank and Gaza, including six Hamas extremists who died in a mysterious explosion yesterday.
Hamas identified the captured militant as Riyad Abu Zeit, a leader of the its military wing Izzedine al-Qassam. Israel radio said Abu Zeit is the deputy of Mohammed Deif, the leader of Izzedine al-Qassam.
Abu Zeit and three bodyguards were travelling in a car when it came under Israeli fire, Hamas officials said. He was seriously wounded and was taken with the bodyguards to the nearby Jewish settlement of Netzarim, they said.
Israel Radio said Abu Zeit was arrested by Israeli commandos, and that he was wounded in a gun battle with the soldiers.
