The office of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneya in Gaza City was hit by at least one Israeli missile on early Sunday, Palestinian witnesses said.

The witnesses said that Israeli Apache attack helicopters fired at least one missile at the office of Haneya, who is also a senior Hamas leader, in the Remal neighborhood in southern Gaza City.

The missile hit the southern part of the building which houses Haneya's office and set the building on fire, said the witnesses, adding that severe damage was caused to the office and that flames of fire and smoke were seen billowing out from the building.

Palestinian sources said that the building was empty at the time of the air raid.

One bystander was slightly injured, Palestinian medics said.

The Israeli army has confirmed the strike.

Israeli troops intruded into the southern Gaza Strip last Wednesday in a broad ground military offensive aimed to free an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants on June 25.

The Israeli army also launched waves of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip during the past few days.

Last Thursday, an office building of the Palestinian Interior Ministry in Gaza City was hit by Israeli missiles and was set ablaze. No casualties were reported.

Israel has held the Hamas-led Palestinian government responsible for the fate of the kidnapped soldier.

The Palestinian government, however, said that it did not order the abduction and had no foreknowledge of the June 25 attack during which Palestinian militants killed two Israeli soldiers and snatched a third.

Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, took part in the deadly attack.

Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement which calls for Israel's destruct, has took the reins of the Palestinian government since late March following a sweeping January election victory.

Source: Xinhua