TEL AVIV, July 19, 2010 (WAFA)- Officials from Israel's Shin Bet security service said Monday that the agency recently apprehended several members of the Hamas military wing believed to be behind the murder of an Israeli police officer last month, Haaretz reported.

Details of the detentions were released after a gag order on the case was lifted, the Paper said, adding that Yehoshua 'Shuki' Sofer, 39, was shot dead on June 14 when his vehicle was ambushed in the southern Hebron Hills. Two other police officers were also wounded.

According to Haaretz, the Shin Bet says that they detained several Hamas members in the village of Deir Samet on June 22, six days after Sofer was killed. The detainees told investigators that they were members of a cell formed last year.

It is unclear, however, who is responsible for the establishment of this group. Israeli security sources have been examining the possibility that the gunmen behind the June 14 attack were from various Palestinian groups.