Top Hamas leader hurt in Israeli bombing

Palestinians gather in the rubble of a house destroyed in an explosion in Gaza City, early Wednesday, July 12, 2006. Israeli aircraft blasted a house and killed at least six people in Gaza City early Wednesday during a high-level meeting of Hamas commanders, and Israel said the man who has topped its wanted list for a decade was wounded. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

By THOMAS WAGNER and SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writers

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -A Hamas militant leader who has topped Israel's most-wanted list for a decade was badly wounded and underwent four hours of spinal surgery Wednesday after an Israeli F-16 warplane dropped a quarter-ton bomb that killed nine members of one family, security officials said.

The top fugitive, Mohammed Deif, could end up paralyzed, Palestinian security officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss his condition. Wednesday's blast marked the army's fourth attempt to kill Deif, held responsible for suicide bombings in Israel. In a 2002 missile strike, he lost an eye. Read more...

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