Reports ID new Hamas leader

JERUSALEM -- Mahmoud Zahar, a 53-year-old Egyptian-trained physician whose son was killed in an Israeli airstrike, was identified by Israeli media yesterday as the new Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials signaled he would not be targeted for death if the militant group halts suicide attacks.

Hamas, however, refused to reveal the name of its leader for fear he could be assassinated like his two predecessors. Late yesterday, two Palestinians were killed in an incident near the Mughazi refugee camp in central Gaza. Palestinian security officials said there was an explosion followed by machine-gun fire. First reports said the two were killed when a rocket they were setting up exploded prematurely. The Israeli military said it had no forces in the area.

Also yesterday, Israeli troops killed a 14-year-old Palestinian boy and seriously wounded a 15-year-old girl near Israeli settlements in Gaza. The girl, described as mentally retarded, had wandered into a restricted area.

The Palestinian attorney general said he would speed up prosecution of dozens of suspected collaborators with Israel and search for those who helped Israel kill Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi April 17. Fifty-three alleged informers are in Palestinian custody awaiting trial.

Three Israeli newspapers identified Zahar yesterday as the group's new leader. Several days ago, Zahar said Hamas would not disclose the new leader's name but did not deny he had the title.