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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Israelis 'free Hamas deputy PM' | Israelis 'free Hamas deputy PM' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An Israeli military court has ordered the release of the Palestinian deputy prime minister because of a lack of evidence against him, his lawyer says. | An Israeli military court has ordered the release of the Palestinian deputy prime minister because of a lack of evidence against him, his lawyer says. |
| Nasser al-Shaer was detained six weeks ago during a crackdown on the ruling Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. | Nasser al-Shaer was detained six weeks ago during a crackdown on the ruling Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. |
| Israeli officials have not confirmed the release and said they were checking the lawyer's comments. | Israeli officials have not confirmed the release and said they were checking the lawyer's comments. |
| Mr Shaer was not at home when troops detained dozens of Hamas legislators in June, but was seized later. | |
| He would be the most senior Hamas official to be released since the arrests, which came after Hamas's armed wing claimed joint responsibility for the capture of an Israeli soldier near the Gaza Strip in June. | He would be the most senior Hamas official to be released since the arrests, which came after Hamas's armed wing claimed joint responsibility for the capture of an Israeli soldier near the Gaza Strip in June. |
| The court order reportedly that said Mr Shaer must stay out of Ramallah, where the Palestinian government is situated, for two weeks. | |
| His wife confirmed to the BBC that her husband had been set free and was travelling home to Nablus in the northern West Bank. | |
| As well as deputy prime minister, Mr Shaer served as minister of education and training in the Hamas-led government which was elected by a landslide in March. | |
| The movement does not recognise Israel's right to exist, which prompted western powers to stop funding to the Palestinian Authority, causing a serious humanitarian crisis in areas it controls. |