Two Palestinians were killed and eight others wounded by Israeli troops near Gaza City on Saturday, Palestinian security sources said.

Dozens of Israeli army tanks pushed through the Karni commercial crossing on the eastern Gaza border with Israel on early Saturday morning and intruded toward Gaza City, said the sources.

Palestinian security forces, monitoring the border, have evacuated from their posts, the sources added.

Two Palestinians including a policeman were killed by the Israeli army tank fire in the Shajaiyeh neighborhood on the eastern outskirts of Gaza City, according to the sources.

Meanwhile, Palestinian medics said that eight other Palestinians sustained moderate or serious injuries during the Israeli incursion.

Hours earlier, Israeli troops withdrew from most areas of the northern Gaza Strip including Beit Lahiya town and former Jewish settlements re-taken in the past few days.

But the Israeli army said that the pullout did not mean the operation in northern Gaza was over, leaving the door open for a return.

Israeli troops have expanded their massive ground offensive into the Gaza Strip to rescue an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants on June 25 and halt Palestinian militant rocket firing.

Over 30 Palestinians including civilians and an Israeli soldier were killed since the Israeli military operation started on June 28.

It is the largest Israeli ground offensive in Gaza since Israel withdrew forces and settlers from it last summer after 38 years of occupation.

Source: Xinhua