Muamar family detention incident

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The Muamar family detention incident occurred very early on the morning of June 24, 2006, in the first capture of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) since the Israeli evacuation of Gaza one year earlier,^[1] when IDF soldiers entered the house of the Muamar family in a village near Rafah, at 03:30 local time (00:30 GMT) and detained Osama and Mustafa Muamar.^[2] This is claimed by Noam Chomsky^[3] and Jonathan Cook^[4] to be the first incident in the 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict and the following 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.

The BBC reports the village name as Umm al-Nasser^[2] while Jews for Justice for Palestinians report the village name as Al Shouka.^[5]

Ali Muamar, father of the two men detained, Osama Muamar and Mustafa Muamar, stated "They blindfolded and handcuffed me and started beating me up with the butts of their rifles and kicking me." He stated that a computer was taken and that the whole incident lasted for about an hour. Ali Muamar was hospitalised to treat his injuries.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the two brothers were not members of the group, but local Hamas activists said the pair were sons of Ali Muamar, a prominent local Hamas leader, and known to be members of the group.^{[citation needed]}

An Israeli spokesman confirmed the detentions, stating "These Palestinians were transferred to Israel where they will be questioned" and claimed that both were members of Hamas, which is considered by Israel and a large number of other nations to be a militant terrorist organization.^{[6] [2]} Osama Muamar is a doctor who returned from Sudan that very week and Mustafa Muamar is a student of Islamic law at the Islamic university in Gaza which is affiliated with Hamas.^[6]

This event was followed by capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit on June 25, 2006 and further incidents in the 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict.

Mustafa Muamar was tried and found guilty in 11 accounts including a plot to abduct an Israeli solider and taking part in a terror organization.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict
• 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

[edit] References

1. ^ "World in brief : Gaza Strip arrests", The Observer, June 25, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-01. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Israel captures pair in Gaza raid", BBC, 24 June 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-01. 
3. ^ Chomsky, Noam. "Confrontation with Hamas and Hezbollah", ZNet, July 29, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-01. 
4. ^ Cook, Jonathan. "KIDNAPPED BY ISRAEL: The British Media And The Invasion Of Gaza", MediaLens, June 30, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-01. 
5. ^ "What is Israel doing?", Times, ad by Jews for Justice for Palestinians (London), 2006-07-06. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Israeli troops arrest two in Gaza raid", Al Jazeera, 24 June 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.