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Last update - 00:00 09/07/2007
Hamas returns stolen lion, minus claws and teeth, to Gaza zoo
By The Associated Press

Even animals with large teeth and claws do not fare well in the volatile Gaza Strip.

On Monday, Hamas forces raiding the hideout of a notorious drug ring stumbled upon a lion stolen at riflepoint two years ago from the Gaza Zoo, said a force commander, Abu Hamam al-Deeb. But she was malnourished, missing four teeth, claws and part of her tail, a veterinarian said.

Hamas forces found the 2-year-old lion - as well as drugs and a weapons cache that were the target of the raid - after exchanging fire with the gunmen, al-Deeb said.
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Sabrina was brought back to the Gaza Zoo and reunited with her brother, Sakher, who had avoided capture by resisting the gunmen. The two playfully swatted each other in the face and chased each other. When a zoo guard tried to pet Sabrina, Sakher crouched as if ready to pounce on him.

"We will start a long, arduous treatment to ensure she can survive, said the zoo veterinarian," Soud al-Shawaa. "She will only eat minced meat from now on so we feel sorry for her. ... They should punish the criminals who did this to her."

Sabrina had last been seen during a recent Muslim holiday at a Gaza photography studio where her captors charged about a dollar for a picture with the lion.

Sabrina and Sakher were bought from Egypt soon after their birth in 2005. The zoo had been closed for years but reopened in October 2005 after Israel's withdrawal from the coastal strip.

The feline's fate was brighter than that of other game animals in Palestinian zoos. In 2004 several animals were killed when the strip's previous zoo in the border town of Rafah was destroyed in an Israeli army operation.

In the West Bank town of Qalqiliya, three zebras died of tear gas inhalation several years ago during a violent riot against Israeli security forces. A giraffe was also killed there during the fighting.

Later that year, the West Bank zoo received a gift of three lions, two zebras and three ibexes from Israe
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  1.   Abducte Lion 13:28  |  ChanahS 09/07/07
  2.   They trade in body and body parts, including those of lions!!! 13:46  |  Ruti Efrati 09/07/07
  3.   You have to admit... 13:50  |  Cham de Frey 09/07/07
  4.   # 1 ChanaS 13:57  |  christa 09/07/07
  5.   THANK YOU HAMAS... ONCE AGAIN 14:02  |  Patriot 09/07/07
  6.   now human rights group will be up in arms 14:09  |  yaki 09/07/07
  7.   At Risk 14:25  |  Chowderhead 09/07/07
  8.   religion of peace at work 14:36  |  Steven 09/07/07
  9.   What kind of population is there? 14:47  |  Angelique 09/07/07
  10.   What to do you expect Angelique? 15:04  |  Ishmael 09/07/07
  11.   A lot of hate a little knowledge (Cham de Frey) 15:15  |  Steven 09/07/07
  12.   To Cham de Frey and Patriot 15:44  |  Lenny 09/07/07
  13.   A lot of experience Steven 15:48  |  Ishmael 09/07/07
  14.   They deserve the peace nobel prize, hahaha 15:54  |  maurice 09/07/07
  15.   I never heard of refugee camps with zoo`s and lions... 16:06  |  Tom 09/07/07
  16.   re#9 16:07  |  Joe 09/07/07
  17.   What do you expect Ishmael? 16:15  |  HonestAbe 09/07/07
  18.   Why HonestAbe? 16:41  |  Ishmael 09/07/07
  19.   I expect humanity Ishmael 16:44  |  Angelique 09/07/07
  20.   ISHMAEL Forgotten what Hamas just did to their brothers?? 17:05  |  PETER SM 09/07/07
  21.   Lion In Gaza 17:07  |  MIKEY 09/07/07
  22.   A zoo in Gaza - pure heroism 17:14  |  Esther 09/07/07
  23.   Ishmael 13 17:37  |  Itsik 09/07/07
  24.   Animal Liberation Movement in former Mandate 17:46  |  Mark Lincoln 09/07/07
  25.   I agree Itsik 18:07  |  Ishmael 09/07/07
  26.   Ishmael do not start what you cannot end 18:15  |  Steven 09/07/07
  27.   Ishmael if Hamas can disarm the groups of bandits and govern 18:16  |  Vespucci 09/07/07
  28.   Angelique expect humanity, did you mean animation:) 18:31  |  Tamir Gaza 09/07/07
  29.   Immoral Destructive Forces 18:32  |  son of yaffa 09/07/07
  30.   25 I don`t agree 18:35  |  Tamir Gaza 09/07/07
  31.   you should agree 19:06  |  Ishmael 09/07/07
  32.   To Steven # 11 19:07  |  christa 09/07/07
  33.   Eternal Arab excuse 19:10  |  Oleg 09/07/07
  34.   It was the IDF that destroyed the zoo and the lion escaped 19:15  |  Disgusted by the IDF 09/07/07
  35.   Quranimals must die 19:24  |  Asylum Aleikum 09/07/07
  36.   Can Hamas stoop any lower? 19:31  |  Lee 09/07/07
  37.   Ishmael 19:59  |  Ahab 09/07/07
  38.   Islam is the problem 20:00  |  Tony 09/07/07
  39.   three lions, two zebras and three ibexes from Israel 20:19  |  Suze 09/07/07
  40.   Tony#38..... YOU GOT IT WRONG: THE US AND ISRAEL ARE THE PROBLEM 20:30  |  Patriot 09/07/07
  41.   WHAT WERE U THINKING ISRAEL? 21:02  |  ERICA COHEN 09/07/07
  42.   Tony it is your book 21:58  |  yaacov 09/07/07
  43.   No, YOU got it wrong. 22:02  |  David 09/07/07
  44.   Islam and helpless animals 22:21  |  Hening 09/07/07
  45.   Hamas and lion 03:01  |  Theresa 10/07/07
  46.   The Lion... 07:05  |  Silvienne 10/07/07
  47.   Hamas terrorizing their own people. 04:51  |  S Benshir 09/03/09
  48.   Out right thieves and murders 04:55  |  S Benshir 09/03/09
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