Gaza Strip: IDF soldiers capture Hamas leader

IDF confirms Younis Abu Daka captured by soldiers early Thursday; his brother killed in exchanges of fire with troops. Earlier, two armed Palestinian wounded in gun battles

Associated Press|Published: 08.24.06 , 07:15

Night operation in southern Strip: Israeli soldiers crossed into the Gaza Strip early Thursday in a raid that captured a local Hamas leader and left his brother dead near the southern Gaza border town of Abasan, Palestinians witnesses and officials said.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that a senior Hamas member was arrested Wednesday night east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

The IDF reported that during the operation fire was opened at the forces, and the Hamas member's brother was killed in the exchanges of fire. There were no injuries among the soldiers.

As the soldiers – backed by tanks and helicopter gunships – moved into the area and took up positions on rooftops, gunmen began firing at them, sparking gun battles that wounded two gunmen, Palestinian officials said.

Soldiers captured Younis Abu Daka, a local Hamas leader, Hamas officials said. His brother, Yousef, was killed in the fighting with the soldiers, Hamas said.

The violence came as Israel continued its offensive in the Gaza Strip, which it began June 28, three days after Hamas-linked gunmen tunneled into Israel, attacked an Israeli army post and captured Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

Israel said it would continue the offensive until Shalit was released and gunmen ceased firing rockets into Israel. The army has routinely carried out nighttime raids into Gaza since the offensive began.

Attention turned back on Gaza

Israel has killed more than 200 Palestinians - most of them gunmen - since the offensive began two months ago.

Palestinian officials fear that Israel, after battling Hizbullah guerrillas to a stalemate in Lebanon, now turn its attention back on Gaza.

Late Wednesday, an Israeli tank fired a shell at two men who approached Gaza's border fence with Israel near Abasan, according to Palestinian officials and the army.

Ambulance crews found one wounded person, an Islamic Jihad gunman, in the area and were searching for others.

The army said soldiers identified two suspicious men crawling toward the border post, fired a tank shell at them and identified hitting them.

Also Wednesday, a top Palestinian leader in the West Bank was shot in the head and seriously wounded, gunmen and hospital officials said.

Hospital officials said Hossam Jaradat, the West Bank leader of Islamic Jihad's military wing, was shot by Israeli soldiers in the Jenin refugee camp. But Islamic Jihad said they were not sure Israel was behind the shooting. The Israeli army said it was checking into the report.