Two Palestinian militants killed in clashes with Israeli forces on Gaza border

[News_Editor]

Two Palestinian militants killed in clashes with Israeli forces on Gaza border

2011-11-04 17:25:13 GMT+7 (ICT)

GAZA (BNO NEWS) -- Palestinian militants allegedly fired at Israeli security forces near Gaza on Thursday, officials said. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) retaliated by firing at the source of the shooting, killing two.

Israeli security forces were doing routine work on the border fence near the area of Kibbutz Zikim in the northern Gaza Strip when Palestinian militants allegedly fired at them. IDF forces responded with a ground and air attack, leaving two militants dead.

"A short while ago, IDF soldiers came under fire during routine activity adjacent to the security fence in the northern Gaza Strip, causing damage to their vehicle," an IDF statement said. "In response to the fire, IDF soldiers targeted the terrorist squad aided by IAF aircraft. A direct hit was confirmed."

The attempted attack comes after nearly 50 rockets and mortar shells were fired at southern Israel last weekend, despite a truce which lasted only several hours. The IDF responded to the airstrikes by targeting nine sites in the Gaza Strip on Saturday and early Sunday morning.

Although no casualties or damages were reported from most attacks, a 56-year-old man identified as Moshe Ami was killed on Saturday evening when he was hit by shrapnel from a Grad rocket which hit his car. He was later buried in Ashkelon.

The cell which allegedly fired the rocket which killed Moshe Ami reportedly belonged to the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which carried out the attack in response to the killing of alleged militants by an Israeli airstrike on October 29.

Egypt is now trying to mediate a second ceasefire.

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