Special report: Israel launches Gaza assault    

    JERUSALEM, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Israeli police arrested five senior officials of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in East Jerusalem early Thursday, accusing them of helping Palestinian legislators handle Hamas affairs in the city, the Ha'aretz daily reported.

    The arrest was part of a larger effort to thwart Hamas activities in the city, said the report, citing a police source.

    Meanwhile, the remand of Hamas legislator Mohammed Abu Tir, who was detained last week by Israel as part of a mass arrest of Hamas officials, was extended by eight days.

    On Wednesday, another five Hamas members were arrested by Israel, and they refused to recognize the authority of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) court at the Ofer military base to rule on their case. The IDF had their remand extended by five days.

    Last week, some 65 officials from Hamas' political wing were arrested in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including eight ministers and 20 parliament members.

    Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned on Sunday that Israel would continue to arrest senior Hamas-led government officials.

    He said that Israel would not cave in to a demand by Palestinian militants to release 1,000 prisoners held by Israel in return for release of kidnapped Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit.

    On June 25, Shalit was seized by Palestinian militants who mounted a deadly attack on an Israeli army post near the Gaza border, during which two soldiers were killed and four wounded.

    In the wake of the attack, Israeli troops intruded into the Gaza Strip in the largest incursion since Israel pulled out forcesand settlers from the Gaza Strip last summer after a 38-year-long presence there. Enditem