Israelis don Hamas garb to nab group chief in Gaza

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli special forces disguised as Hamas gunmen abducted a field commander from the ruling Palestinian Islamist group in the southern Gaza Strip, Hamas said on Saturday.

It said commandos dressed in the light blue fatigues of Hamas's paramilitary police Executive Force drove up to Mohawesh al-Qadi's car outside Rafah town on Friday night, bundled him into their vehicle, and escaped.

Qadi, a local Executive Force commander who also serves in the Hamas armed wing, was with his wife at the time. She was left behind and reported the incident to Hamas, it said.

An Israeli military spokeswoman declined comment.

Israeli special forces have frequently disguised themselves as Palestinians for missions against suspected militants in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Friday's operation may have marked the first time Israelis have posed as members of the Executive Force, which spearheaded Hamas's June takeover of Gaza in street battles against rival Palestinian Fatah gunmen.

Rafah is close to the Israeli border post of Kerem Shalom, where gunmen from Hamas and two other factions abducted a soldier last year. Hamas has demanded Israel release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the soldier, Gilad Shalit. Israel has balked at freeing senior militants from its jails.

Israeli officials have said they believe Shalit was being held in a secret location in the Rafah area.