By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has denounced Israeli closure of its charitable institutions in the West Bank.
Israeli forces on Monday shut down Hamas-linked charities in the West Bank. Documents and computers were confiscated in the operation in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Similar crackdowns were launched around Al-Khalil, or Hebron, Qalqilya and Ramallah areas and the campaign is now being extended.
Israel claims that Hamas-linked charities are part of terrorist infrastructure, a charge which the institutions themselves emphatically deny.
Israeli forces also shut down a girls school, a sports club and a medical centre.
Hamas said Israeli forces broke doors and overturned cabinets before sealing off the building.
Hamas said that the charitable organisations which it supports provide legitimate social services and have nothing to do with its armed struggle against Israel.
Four Hamas activists were arrested in the Israeli campaign in Nablus and Al-Khalil, it said.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad also condemned a UN Congress draft resolution designating some Palestinian and Arab satellite channels as “terrorist organisations”, referring to the Hamas-linked Al-Aqsa and Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar satellite channels.
Earlier in the day, Israeli Minister of Defence Ehud Barak claimed that 36 foreign funds were providing diverse types of support and aid to Hamas. Barak alleged that they are “illegitimate organisations” for Israel, which transferred millions of US dollars to the Palestinian movement annually.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army ferried more food commodities and fuel to the Gaza Strip. Local radio stations said Israel, which reopened three crossings with the Gaza Strip earlier on Sunday, allowed 100 trucks carrying food, goods and cement into the besieged Strip.