Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday announced the capture of a four-man cell suspected of cooperating with Israeli security forces to find and secure the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Hamas said the four were recruited by Israel in Judea and Samaria (the so-called "West Bank") shortly after Shalit's capture in June 2006, reported the Bethlehem-based Ma'an news agency.
The cell became more active following the Hamas coup last July, ultimately leading to the capture of a senior terrorist figure involved in Shalit's abduction.
Termed "collaborators" by their fellow Palestinians, Arabs caught working together with Israel to combat terrorism are regularly subjected to brutal torture and eventually executed.