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Hamas blames Israel for roles in murder of its top militant

Xinhua, April 2, 2017 Adjust font size:

Islamic Hamas movement insisted on Sunday that Israel is the only one which is behind the murder of Mazen Fuqaha, the top West Bank Hamas militant near his house in southern Gaza City in March 24.

Abu Obeida, spokesman of Hamas armed wing al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza said in a press statement emailed to reporters that the "Zionist enemy (Israel) is the one which is behind the assassination of the leader Fuqaha."

Earlier on Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that Israel is not the one which killed Fuqaha and that Hamas should find out who was involved in killing him.

Mazen Fuqaha, a top Hamas militant, originally from the West Bank city of Jenin was deported to Gaza in October 2011, after he was released from an Israeli jail as part of an Egyptian-brokered prisoners swap deal reached with Israel.

Since his murder, Hamas security forces has been accusing Israel's collaborators for being behind the murder of Fuqaha. It carried a series of security measures in the Gaza Strip, including the closure of the borders with Israel and the sea as well.

On Saturday, Eyad al-Bozzom, spokesman of the Hamas-run ministry of interior said in an emailed press statement that within the coming few days, strict security measures will be taken against Palestinian collaborators with Israel.

Since his death, Hamas and its security apparatuses had so far failed to unveil who was behind the murder of Fuqaha. Al-Bozzom stated that the interior ministry would immediately brief the press as soon as the murderers are unveiled. Endit