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Specila report: Israel launches Gaza assault

BEIJING, July 6 -- Hamas Cabinet ministers and legislators arrested by Israel last week, have appeared in an Israeli military court in the occupied West Bank. The first five Hamas legislators appeared triumphant as they were led in to the courtroom on Wednesday.

Senior hamas members, guarded by Israeli Prison Service security officers, seat in front of their lawyer while attending a remand hearing at the military court July 5, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)
Their lawyer called the arrests "kidnappings" designed to weaken the Hamas-led Palestinian government.

An Israeli military official said a total of 64 Hamas officials had been arrested in last Thursday's early morning roundup. Of those arrested, eight were ministers in Hamas 23-member Cabinet and 26 others were legislators in the 72-seat parliament.

Israeli military announced that they would be indicted for terrorism.

(Source: CCTV.com)

Hamas member of the Palestinian parliament Nayef Rajoub(R), guarded by Israeli border police officers, gestures during a hearing for the extension of his arrest at an Israeli military court at the Ofer base near the West Bank town of Ramallah July 5, 2006.
Naif Rajoub, Minister for Religious Affairs at the Palestinian Authority (1st R) and other senior hamas members, guarded by Israeli Prison Service security officers, attend a remand hearing at the military court at the Ofer base between Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ramallah, July 5, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)