Four members of Hamas' military wing were killed in two predawn Israeli strikes in southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis, Hamas and hospital officials said on Thursday.
In a statement sent to the press, Hamas said that Shaher Abdel Karim, 25, and Imad Abu T'ima, 22, were killed when an Israeli ground-to-ground missile hit them while they were guarding near the border to the east of the city.
Another statement sent by Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas announced that two of its members, Abdullah al-Asstal and Hani Abu Rumila were killed in aerial attack by Israeli aircraft as they prepared an ambush also to the east of Khan Younis.
Israeli special and undercover forces often infiltrate border areas in Gaza Strip and clash with Palestinian fighters who take up positions there to ambush the Israeli forces.
On Wednesday, two members of Hamas' naval police were killed in the west of Khan Younis when their base came under Israeli rocket-fire. Five others were injured in this attack.
The Israeli military escalation comes after U.S. President George W. Bush announced that Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) will start to negotiate two-state solution on Dec. 12.
Bush's remarks were made during the Annapolis peace conference which convened Tuesday with the participation of representatives from more than 40 countries and organizations.
In its statement, al-Qassam Brigades have warned that Annapolis conference "was dangerous and threatening the future of the Palestinian cause since it denies the people's right of resistance and gives the occupation the cover to target anyone raising the slogan of resistance."
"As a resistance force, we will not allow anyone to carry out the first phase of the U.S.-backed Road Map peace plan," the statement said. The plan calls on both sides to halt violence in the first place.
Source:Xinhua
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