BEIT AWA, West Bank Israel's deputy defense minister said todaythat two top Islamic militants who were killed in an army raid oftheir hideout had been targeted for death by Israel.
The two fugitives, members of the militant group Hamas, were shotdead Monday night by Israeli commandos. Three other Hamas activistswere captured in the raid in the remote West Bank village of BeitAwa.
The raid raised concerns that Hamas would seek revenge by carryingout suicide bombings or shooting attacks in Israel. Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are at a sensitive stage, with only twomonths left for negotiators to formulate a framework for a peaceagreement. Renewed terror attacks could halt the talks.
Deputy Defense Minister Efraim Sneh said Israel would retaliateharshly against anyone involved in attacks on Israelis.
One of those killed Monday, identified as Iyyad Batat, was heldresponsible for a shooting attack in which an Israeli borderpoliceman was killed last year.
"There is an automatic contract on anyone from Hamas who commitsmurderous attacks," Sneh told Israel radio. "I had said that within ayear those attackers (of the border policeman) would die and see, ittook less than a year."
The raid of the Hamas hideout began Monday evening, shortly afterthe evening meal that observant Muslims eat to break their daylongfast during the holy month of Ramadan.
Israeli commandos surrounded the house where the five werestaying. Neighbors heard shots and hand-held rocket fire. Troops useda headlight from a hovering helicopter and flares to light the house.
Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Eitan, in charge of troops in the West Bank,said the fugitives fired at the soldiers and were killed in theensuing shootout.
Eitan said the troops acted on a tip that the militants wereplanning attacks to mark the 12th anniversary of Hamas' founding.
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