The officials said on Sunday that Israeli military and security forces have arrested a top Hamas official suspected in the deaths of more than 70 Israelis.

The officials said that 47 years old Mahar Udda was arrested late Saturday in Ramallah, West Bank.

According to the reports of Haaretz, including the 2003 double terror attack at Cafe Hillel in Jerusalem and at the bus stop near the Tzrifin military base in central Israel Udda has been wanted for more than a decade for alleged involvement in terror activity.

Udda was one of the founding members of Hamas and built the movement's military cell in the West Bank, the report further said.

Haaretz also said that under his command, the cell allegedly gathered ammunition for Hamas terror attacks and kidnapped Palestinians suspected of cooperating with Israel.

CNN reported that the kidnappers demanded weapons as ransom.

According to the reports of CNN, an Israeli military statement said, "Udda's arrest is the final stage of thwarting Hamas' military headquarters in Ramallah, which executed various terror attacks and is responsible for the murder of more than 70 Israelis." (With Input from Agencies)