The death toll of Palestinians killed by Israeli troops on Tuesday in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis rose to three, local medics sources said.

The sources said that two militants of Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and one civilian were killed by Israeli troops' gunfire east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis.

Earlier Tuesday, Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses reported that some 20 Israeli tanks, armored vehicles and bulldozers stormed the eastern part of the Khuza's village east of Khan Younis.

Later, the armed confrontations erupted in the area between Israeli troops and militants, belong to Hamas' armed wing al- Qassam Brigades, with two militants were killed and three civilians were wounded.

Medics at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said that one of the three casualties is in critical condition, adding that he could not be survived and would die of his sustained wounds.

The security sources said that two Israeli bulldozers guarded by tanks bulldozed the eastern area of the village amid intensive gunfire and armed clashes with militant groups' members.

Israel said earlier that the aim of the ground operation into the area was to search for underground tunnels that militant groups dig under the area of the borders between Gaza Strip and Israel.

On June 25, three militant groups, led by Hamas, managed to infiltrate into an Israeli army base through an underground tunnel on the borders between Gaza Strip and Israel.

The militants killed two soldiers and kidnapped the third one, who is still held captive by the militants who call for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Israeli Radio reported Tuesday that Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz and his army Chief of Staff Dan Haloutz approved a large-scale military ground operation into the Gaza Strip.

The aim of the operation is to prevent more arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip, undermine the military ability of militants and search for captive soldier Gilad Shalit, added the radio.

Source: Xinhua