Dubai , United Arab Emirates ( CNN ) -- Mourners buried a senior Hamas militant Friday after his recent death in Dubai -- a death Hamas calls an `` assassination . '' Mahmoud al-Mabhouh died in Dubai on January 20 , said Izzat al Rishq , a Hamas member based in Syria . Al-Mabhouh was a founding member of the military wing of Hamas , which blamed Israel for his death . `` We hold the enemy responsible for the assassination of Mahmoud Mabhouh , '' the militant wing said in an online statement . `` The enemy will not escape punishment . '' It said Al-Mabhouh was responsible for capturing two Israeli soldiers during the first intifada and named the pair : Sgt . Avi Sasportas and Cpl . Ilan Saadon . The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Sasportas was kidnapped on Feb. 16 , 1989 and shot to death . His body was found in May 1989 . The ministry said the same Hamas terror cell that kidnapped Sasportas abducted Saadon on May 3 , 1989 . Saadon 's body was discovered in 1996 . Government officials in Israel declined to comment on the militant wing 's statement . One official in Dubai told CNN that al-Mabhouh died of natural causes . But the Emirates News Agency said authorities determined that the man was killed and were working with Interpol to hunt down alleged perpetrators thought to be part of a `` criminal gang , '' some of whom have European passports . Hamas said it is investigating the death and that it would publish details `` in a timely manner . '' Al-Mabhouh 's brother , Fayek al-Mabhouh , said that preliminary results of Hamas ' investigation show he was killed by electrocution and strangulation with a piece of cloth . Fayek said his brother had survived other assassination attempts . The Emirates News Agency report quoted a security source saying the gang had been tracking the victim . Al-Mabhouh had lived in Syria for about 20 years . He traveled from Syria to Dubai on January 19 and died the next day , Hamas officials in Gaza said . It 's not clear why he traveled to Dubai , but Fayek al-Mabhouh said his brother arrived at a Dubai hotel in charge of the Hamas mission . His body was returned to Damascus on Thursday night and was buried after Friday prayers , Hamas officials in Gaza said . CNN 's Kevin Flower , Saad Abedine , Caroline Faraj , and Talal Abu Rahma contributed to this report .
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh buried Friday after his death in Dubai on January 20 . Hamas says al-Mabhouh was assassinated , blames Israel for death . Score: 7