Israel fingers surgeon as new Hamas leader

ISRAELI military officials yesterday identified Mahmoud Zahar, a surgeon and prominent Hamas hard-liner, as the new leader of the Islamic militant group in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas has refused to reveal the name of the man chosen to replace Abdel Aziz Rantisi, the Hamas leader killed in an Israeli airstrike on April 17.

Hamas denied the Israeli claims regarding Zahar, calling it a ploy to draw out information about the group's murky leadership structure.