Two Palestinian militants, members of Hamas armed wing al-Qassam Brigades, were killed in a clash with Israeli soldiers east of Rafah town in southern Gaza Strip Sunday evening.

Palestinian security sources said that a group of Hamas militants reached the area of Gaza Airport east of the town and clashed with Israeli forces which thrust into eastern Rafah and seized the airport area a few days ago.

The sources said that bodies of the militants were still there, adding that the Israeli side informed the Palestinian side that there were bodies of two militants who attacked Israeli soldiers, and Israeli soldiers shot them dead.

Witnesses in Rafah town said that they heard intensive gunfire at the airport area, adding that they saw Israeli helicopters were landing at the runway of the airport.

An Israeli army spokesman confirmed that two Palestinian militants who attacked Israeli soldiers at Gaza Airport area were shot and killed.

The airport has been closed down by Israel since the beginning of the Palestinian intifada, or uprising, in 2000.

Source: Xinhua