Hamas policeman killed while taking apart bomb
Explosive device goes at Gaza City police station while security men attempt to dismantle it. Hamas government's Interior Ministry spokesman says policeman died 'as a martyr'
A Hamas policeman was killed and several Palestinians were wounded Thursday night when an explosive device went off in a police station in Gaza City.
Hamas police spokesman Islam Shahwan said the device was found earlier in the day in the Hamas-controlled territory and was taken to the police station to be dismantled.
While security men were taking the bomb apart, it exploded, causing several secondary blasts, Shahwan said.
Moaaya Hassaneen, director of the Health Ministry's emergency department, told AFP named the policeman killed as Alaa Jihad al Ajna, 30, and said the incident occurred in a passport office in the center of Gaza City, and not in a police station.
Interior Ministry spokesman Ihab Elghseen later said that the man, a police officer and an engineer died "as a martyr".
Reuters and AFP contributed to this report
