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Israeli and Palestinian sources report about another Palestinian minister was arrested by the Israeli military. The Palestinian State minister, Wasfi Qabaha, was arrested at his home in the northern West Bank city of Jenin early Saturday, 26 May.

Qabaha is the second minister arrested over the last three days. Earlier, Education Minister Naser al-Shaer of Hamas and 32 other officials in the West Bank were arrested.

Qabaha's daughter told the Palestinian news agency Ma'an that "the Israeli army besieged their house at around 1:30am on Saturday, and broke into the house searching it invasively and taking my father.” Sheadded that the soldiers seized all her father’s files and papers, along with his telephones and computer.

This is the minister's second arrest since he was appointed in the first Hamas government, and subsequently, to the unity government. The minister has been arrested eight times in the past for his role within the Hamas movement.

Israeli authorities confirmed the arrest, and stated that Kabha was transferred into the custody of Israeli security forces for questioning. According to the Israeli authorities, the arrests of Hamas leaders are an attempt to stop the launching of Qassam rockets from the Gaza Strip.