The Islamic movement Hamas Tuesday denied that its top leader Mahmoud al-Zahar has been injured during the 22-day Israeli military assault on the Gaza Strip, reported Xinhua.
Fawzi Barhoum, the movement's Gaza spokesman, said "al-Zahar was not injured during the war, and all the earlier reports saying he was hurt are rootless and untrue."
"He (al-Zahar) is good and he is practicing his political missions in Hamas movement," said Barhoum, without disclosing the whereabouts of al-Zahar.
Earlier reports said al-Zahar, the most senior Hamas leader in Gaza, was hurt during the Israeli military offensive and secretly conveyed to Egypt for medial treatment.
Meanwhile, Husam al-Zahar, Mahmoud al-Zahar's son, also refuted the reports, saying they "are completely untrue. My father is in a good health, he is working and all what we heard about his injury are just rumors."
Since the launch of massive Israeli onslaught, al-Zahar only showed up in public once to make statements on a recorded videotape aired by the Gaza-based pro-Hamas al-Aqsa television.
As the main targets of Israeli military offensive were Hamas establishments and its leaders, all senior Hamas leaders have been hiding since the assault began on Dec. 27, 2008.