Friday July 06, 2007 22:58 by IMEMC Staff saed at imemc dot org

A senior source at the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, reported on Friday  that Israeli soldiers kidnapped five residents, members of Hamas movement, in the West Bank city of Tubas. Three of the abducted residents are brothers.

Israeli soldiers in Jenin - Archive

The source added that one of the abductees is Fazi’ Sawafta, one of the prominent leaders of Hamas.

Resident Sidqi Mohammad Sa’id stated that Israeli soldiers surrounded his house, broke into it and detained all family members for several hours while searching and sabotaging the house.

Sawafta added that his son Faze’ spent 13 years imprisoned by Israel, his second son Arafat sent seven year, his third son Ala’ spent five years, and his fourth son Asem was members of Al Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, and killed by the army during Al Aqsa Intifada.

Eyewitnesses reported that soldiers fired flares inside the house of Mohammad Sawafta before detaining his family for several hours.

They added that soldiers broke into several other houses and placed sharpshooters on their rooftops.

In a separate attack, soldiers invaded Jenin city and its refugee camp, in the northern part of the West Bank and searched several houses.

Local sources reported that soldiers also invaded the nearby Borqeen village, broke into and searched several houses.

In a separate attack, soldiers severely punched and kicked several youth after stopping them at Al a military checkpoint, west of Jenin.

Soldiers stopped dozens of vehicles, searched them and assaulted several youth while interrogated them.

Moreover, one youth was kidnapped by Israeli troops at Al Hamra checkpoint near Jenin, and was moved to an unknown destination.

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