Israeli troops arrested seven prominent members of the ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in West Bank city of Bethlehem in an arrest campaign before dawn Thursday, Palestinian security sources said.

The sources said that more than 10 military vehicles pushed overnight into Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, and Israeli soldiers broke into houses.

Seven "prominent political members of the Hamas" were arrested in the operation, including Hassan Safi and Saleh Shuka, members of the town's local council, the sources added.

An Israeli army spokesman confirmed that seven Hamas members were arrested in an operation in the West Bank.

However, other Israeli sources put the number of the Palestinians arrested in the last 24 hours at 13, saying that in a addition to Bethlehem, the Israeli military also operated in other West Bank cities of Ramallah, Nablus and Jenin.

Israeli forces took at least 30 Hamas officials, including Palestinian cabinet ministers and lawmakers, into custody after an Israeli soldier was abducted in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian gunmen in June.

Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Nasser al-Shaer, arrested in late August, was also among the detainees. Four other ministers have been detained and then released.

Earlier, a pan Arab newspaper reported that a swap deal to exchange the abducted Israeli soldier for Palestinian prisoners was completed.

London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper said that the delay of the implementation of the swap deal was related to some disagreements on the names of Palestinians set to be released in exchange of the Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit.

"In the coming hours, Israel will release Palestinian lawmakers and ministers," the newspaper quoted Palestinian sources as saying, adding that corporal Shalit would be released next Sunday while 740 Palestinians would be freed in exchange.

However, no official confirmation on this report either from Israel or Palestinian authority was made.

Earlier on Thursday, Israeli attorney general appealed against an Israeli military court's ruling to release 18 detained Hamas officials.

The appeal would be processed by Ofer military court in the West Bank at 9:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) on Monday, until which the 18 officials, including parliamentary speaker Aziz Dweik, would remain in custody, a Palestinian defense lawyer said.

Source: Xinhua