Israeli army arrests Hamas official in West Bank

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – Israeli soldiers arrested a
spokesman for the militant Palestinian group Hamas in the
occupied West Bank early on Tuesday, his family said.

Farhat Asaad, Hamas’ spokesman in the West Bank, was
arrested overnight from his home in a western neighborhood of
the city of Ramallah, his wife said.

Asaad does not hold a post in the new Hamas-led Palestinian
government.

The Israeli army said 18 suspected militants were arrested
overnight. A spokeswoman was unable to confirm whether Asaad
was among them but she said none of those detained overnight
were arrested in Ramallah.

Hamas, which is sworn to Israel’s destruction, spearheaded
a suicide bombing campaign against Israel for more than a
decade but has largely abided by a year-old truce.