Human rights groups say about 20 Islamic fundamentalists died under torture in Palestinian prisons.

Since Palestinian self-rule began, 10 men have died in Palestinian prisons.

Recently, a rights group put a paid insert into newspapers about torture in Palestinian prisons, complete with gory photographs - and a Government advertising permit.

Now the river is one wall in a big Palestinian prison.

Scores of militants were let out of Palestinian prisons shortly after the current uprising began last fall.

Hamdiya was a retired Palestinian general and had been detained in prison since 2002.

The bomber, Mahmoud Masharka, was released from a Palestinian prison several weeks ago, officials said.

Gaza kidnappers have usually been seeking jobs in the Palestinian security forces or the release of a relative held in a Palestinian prison.

He had been held for a month recently in a Palestinian prison in Ramallah, on suspicion that he was about to carry out such an attack.

The withdrawal came after a convoy of American and British vehicles took six men wanted by Israel from the compound to a Palestinian prison in Jericho.