Palestinian ex-security chief fiercely killed in Gaza

Dozens of unknown masked militants stormed home of ex-security chief in Gaza, Gen. Moussa Arafat, before dawn Wednesday, and shot him dead, officials said.

The militants threw grenades at Arafat's home in the neighborhood of Tal al-Hawa, southern Gaza, and clashed with his personal bodyguards, the officials said.

They added that the militants killed Arafat and abducted his son Manhal, 29, considered his father's right-hand man, according to Xinhua.

Medical sources at al-Quds Hospital run by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in the city confirmed that Arafat arrived dead at the hospital.

Witnesses and neighbors living in the area said they heard four explosions and then intensive gunfire.

No one has claimed responsibility for the killing, but the Palestinian security forces immediately opened an investigation into the assault.

Arafat, a nephew of Yasser Arafat, was born in Jaffa, Israel, returned to Gaza after Israel and the Palestinians signed the Oslo accords in 1994.

He was first appointed chief of the military intelligence and then chief of the Palestinian National Security Forces shortly before Yasser Arafat passed away.

He retired after the Palestinian leadership decided to implement reforms of the Palestinian security and civil institutions and was serving as a military advisor to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.