A Hamas fighter displays body parts of

By Mohammad Yassin, IOL Correspondent

GAZA CITY , May 12 (IslamOnline.net) – Families and relatives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have appealed to resistance factions to swap the remains of the six Israeli soldiers killed Tuesday, May 11, in a roadside ambush for their loved ones.

"We want the resistance fighters to exchange the body parts of those Israeli soldiers with our prisoners and pray that the fighters would capture more spoils from the enemy," the mother of prisoner Mazen Al-Nahal told IslamOnline.net.

The Israeli soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb ripped through an Israeli armored personnel carrier during a major raid by the occupation army into El-Zeitoun neighborhood, the highest Israeli casualty count in a single army operation in two years.

Hamas resistance fighters displayed what they said was the head of an Israeli soldier before TV cameras.

The Doha-base all-news Arab channel, Aljazeera, electronically obscured the head.

"We should seize such a golden opportunity to set free as many of our prisoners," the mother added.

Abu Mazen has been jailed by Israel since 1993 for belonging to Hamas’ armed wing, Ezzudin Al-Qassam Brigades. He was sentenced to 120 years in prison.

The wife of prisoner Baseem Al-Kurd, in jail since 1991 serving eight life sentences, was jubilant at the news.

"Of course we are happy," the exuberant wife told IOL. "It gives us hope to release our prisoners."

"I haven’t seen my husband for long and hope that we would reunite again. I pray that God will help the Palestinians fighters in their prisoner swap like Hizbullah," she added.

She was referring to a landmark prisoner swap deal between the Lebanese resistance movement, Hizbullah, and Israel last January following three years of on-again and off-again negotiations.

Under the agreement, Israel released around 400 Palestinians as well as 34 Arab prisoners and a German in swap for ex-Israeli intelligence colonel Elhanan Tannenbaum and the body parts of three soldiers.

Kurd’s 13-year-old son Musaab was also hopeful his father might be included in a prisoner exchange deal with the Israelis.

Great Achievement

"The is a great achievement for the Palestinian resistance," said Youssef Shaath, the cousin of prisoners Ayman and Amin.

"The operation dealt a heavy blow to Israeli occupation army and helped water our outrage," at the daily Israeli aggressions.

Brothers Ayman and Amin have been in Israeli prison for 13 years for allegedly being involved in the killing of an Israeli settler during the first Intifada in 1987.

They were sentenced to 99 years.

Shaath added that Israel has been keeping the body parts of eight Palestinians and blackmailing their families to hand them over.

"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," he said.

"The Palestinian Authority’s negotiations with Israel have only led to the release of some prisoners whose jail term were about to expire."

"I firmly believe that the resistance operations would force Israel to respect the Palestinian rights."

Palestinian human rights group estimate that up to 7000 Palestinians, including women and children, are being held at Israeli prisoners and detention camps.

The Israeli occupation army partitioned Tuesday night the Gaza Strip into three sections, sealed off El-Zeitoun district and sent in massive reinforcements, gathered from all over the occupied Palestinian territories, to assist in the effort to recover the soldiers' bodies.

The searches lasted until after dark, resulting in pitched battles with Palestinian fighters.

Israel has urged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to intervene, according to Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot.

An ICRC representative has confirmed the news, saying Israel has asked for the mediation of the Vienna-based organization.

Other reports said Egypt , which has a peace treaty with Israel and a key player on the Palestinian front, also dispatched a team to the occupied territories to help thrash out a settlement.