Israel asks Egypt to prevent body of Al Batsh from being returned to Gaza

The Palestine News Network reported on Sunday (April 22) that Israeli war Minister Avigdor Lieberman had sent a "request in this regard by conventional methods", adding that it would not be under Israel's control since the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip falls under Egyptian sovereignty.

Lieberman said the decision was in line with Israel's policy on preventing the transfer of the bodies of martyrs from the Hamas movement for burial in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett had on Saturday vowed to prevent Mr Fadi M.R. al-Batsh's body from being brought back to Gaza for burial without the release of Israeli soldiers detained by Hamas in Gaza..

Al-Batsh, who hailed from Jabalia town in the north of Gaza, was assassinated in front of the Idaman Puteri condominium in Setapak while heading for morning Islamic prayers at about 6am on Saturday.

The Palestinian embassy in Malaysia was reportedly coordinating with Malaysian and Egyptian authorities to ensure the transfer of Al-Batsh's body to Gaza at his family's request.