Israel has arrested ten leaders of Hamas.

Israeli security forces arrested in the West Bank ten members of the radical Islamic vision of Hamas, including four deputies of the Legislative Assembly of the Palestinian Authority, transmit agency AFP.

According to Israeli intelligence agents arrested were leaders of Hamas in the West Bank and to strengthen and circulate the presence of Islamists in Judea and Samaria.

However, The Jerusalem Post notes that arrests of Hamas members were followed immediately after the failure of negotiations for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, seized by Hamas as far back as 2006. The publication does not exclude, thus, Israel is trying to exert pressure on Hamas.

Recall that Hamas controls the Gaza Strip, the power which hamasovtsy captured during the summer of 2007, drove out the representatives of Fatah, headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

In early 2009, Israel held the Gaza Strip on 22-day military operation "Cast lead" to eliminate militant Hamas fired rockets into Israeli territory "Qassam". As a result of the operation were killed 1330 Palestinians, 5450 more were injured.