(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that an armed Palestinian organization kidnapped three Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli radio quoted Netanyahu as saying that he "directed Israel's security branches to use all means at their disposal to find the abducted teenagers and prevent the possibility of their transfer to the Gaza Strip or anywhere else." Netanyahu announcement comes as the first recognition that the settlers were kidnapped amid efforts by the Israeli army to completely seal off Al-Khalil, or Hebron, south of West Bank, including deployment of 2,000 soldiers to search for the abductees.
Netanyahu added that the kidnapping comes as the right outcome for a Palestinian unity government, which was formed recently.
The Israeli premier is expected to meet again with security officials this evening to reevaluate the situation.
Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes conducted several raids targeting several locations in Rafah city south of Gaza Strip.
According to Palestinian security sources one missile targeted an empty area near Al-Murabeteen mosque, causing a huge explosion.
However, the raid did not cause any human casualties, the source said, adding the second raid targeted a training location in Saad Sayil, east of the city, but also did not cause human casualties.
The sources noted Israeli warplanes also raided a training location west of Khan Yunus but without causing any human casualties.
The raids come as the second wave of attack on Palestinian areas today, without causing human casualties.
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