Special report: Israel launches Gaza assault    

    RAMALLAH, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army arrested Farhan Asad, the official Hamas spokesman in the West Bank, Hamas sources said on Tuesday.

    Israeli soldiers stopped Asad on his way to work at the Palestinian ministry of prisoners affairs in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

    Asad, 43, was released from Israeli jail about one month and a half ago.

    The Israeli army had detained dozens of senior Hamas members in the West Bank last week, including eight ministers of Hamas-led government and 21 legislators.

    Israel carried out the massive arrests in the West Bank and a military offensive in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian militants attack on an Israeli army base near Gaza on June 25, killing two Israeli soldiers and abducting a third one. Enditem