Wanted Afghan leader offers to send fighters to Gaza

KABUL (Reuters) - A fugitive Afghan leader wanted by the United States offered on Wednesday to send fighters to help Hamas against Israel in the Gaza battling in which more than 600 Palestinians have so far died.

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who leads a force separate from the allied Taliban fighting NATO-led troops in Afghanistan, also urged Muslims to unite and wage war against the United States because of its financial and military support for Israel, his spokesman said.

"Hezb-i-Islami not only condemns Israel's invasion and barbarity against the Palestinians, but if the situation allows will also send Mujahideen for the defense of Hamas against Israel," Haroon Zarghon said, quoting a statement from Hekmatyar.

"We have thousands of volunteers ready to go to Gaza for war against Israel," Zarghon told Reuters by satellite phone from an unknown location.

"These men are ready to go any time and we are trying to find a way for that," he added without further elaboration.

A veteran of the war against Afghanistan's occupation by the former Soviet Union in the 1980s, Hekmtayar carries a U.S. bounty for his capture or death.

He sent some fighters to Iraq to help Sadaam Hussein in the Gulf war.

(Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by Jerry Norton)