Lebanese militant Samir Kuntar killed in airstrike near Damascus

A Lebanese militant who served 30 years in an Israeli prison for murder has been killed in Syria, Hezbollah TV said Sunday.

Samir Kuntar was released in a prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah seven years ago.

His brother, Bassam Kuntar, also confirmed his death on social media.

Hezbollah accused Israel of carrying out the airstrike that hit a residential building in the suburbs of Damascus, killing Samir Kuntar. The Israeli military declined to comment on the accusation.

An Israeli court sentenced Kuntar to 542 years for taking part in a deadly attack that killed three Israelis in 1979. He was age 16 at the time of the attack. Among the Israelis killed was a 4-year-old girl and her father.

Kuntar was released from prison in a 2008 prisoner exchange. He was traded for the remains of Israeli soldiers who had been captured and killed by Hezbollah.

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