Gaza: Al-Zahar's bodyguard kidnapped; civilian killed

Violence in PA continues to surge: Fire exchanges between Hamas loyalists, relatives of two Fatah members who were killed this week result in death of bystander, abduction of foreign minister's bodyguard

The bodyguard of Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar was kidnapped Thursday night, and a Palestinian civilian was killed in fire exchanges in the Gaza City neighborhood of Sabra.

Thursday's is not the first abduction to take place since the violent clashes between Hamas and Fatah erupted several weeks ago. Former Minister Sufian Abu Zaydeh, a senior Fatah official, was kidnapped in Jabalya at the beginning of the week and released about an hour and-a-half later.

Ali Waked
Published: 12.22.06, 00:30