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GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Latest on developments related to (all times local):
2:55 p.m.
Malaysia's deputy prime minister says the government is looking into the possibility of the involvement of "foreign agents" in the killing of Palestinian engineer Fadi al-Batsh.
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi tells local media that initial investigations show the assailants in Saturday morning's attack were "white men" driving a powerful BMW 1100cc motorbike.
Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group said Saturday that al-Batsh was an important member of the organization, raising suspicions that Israel was behind the brazen killing.
Hamidi says: "His killing could have some links with foreign intelligence agencies or he may also be considered a liability to nations u friendly to Palestine," Zahid was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times English-language daily.
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12:15 p.m
The Hamas militant group says a man who was gunned down in Malaysia was one of its members who had made "important contributions" in science.
In a statement, Hamas said Saturday that Palestinian engineer Fadi al-Batsh was a "loyal" member and a "scientist of Palestine's youth scholars." It gave no further details on his scientific accomplishments but said he had participated in international forums in the field of energy.
Hamas stopped short of blaming Israel, saying only that he had been "assassinated by the hand of treachery." But relatives of al-Batsh believe Israel targeted him.
Malaysian police say Batsh was gunned down by two assailants on a motorbike as he was heading to a mosque for dawn prayers. Besides his Hamas affiliation, he was also a relative of a senior official in the Islamic Jihad militant group.
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