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Militants killed in Gaza clashes Militants killed in Gaza clashes
(about 5 hours later)
Hamas officials say three Palestinian militants have been killed in clashes with Israeli army forces in the south of the Gaza Strip. At least 10 Palestinian militants have been killed in separate clashes with Israeli armed forces in Gaza.
Residents said gun battles broke out after a small Israeli force entered Gaza near Khan Yunis on Thursday. Israeli aircraft fired upon two cars as they approached an army border post, killing six members of Islamic Jihad and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.
They said the fighting intensified when Israeli tanks moved in. Earlier, four militants were killed in clashes with the Israeli army after its troops entered Gaza near Khan Yunis.
The incursion came a day after Israel's security cabinet met to discuss how to put an end to rocket attacks from Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered the army to draw up plans to counter the strikes, but stopped short of calls by some ministers for an immediate expansion of Israeli military operations in the territory.
The cabinet also discussed a plan to cut supplies of water and electricity to Gaza.
Palestinian groups say they fire rockets at Israel in response to Israeli military action in Gaza and the West Bank.
Border ambush
Violent clashes initially began in Gaza on Thursday morning after a small Israeli force crossed the Israel-Gaza border and moved about a kilometre towards the town of Khan Yunis.
Palestinian militants belonging to the Islamic Jihad and Hamas groups fired at the troops. Three were killed and six others injured in return fire by Israeli tank shells.
Another militant was killed later in the same area by an Israeli tank shell.
Israel said its forces had carried out "routine activity" in an area where militants have been firing rockets and digging tunnels by the border fence.Israel said its forces had carried out "routine activity" in an area where militants have been firing rockets and digging tunnels by the border fence.
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool, in Ramallah, says the Israeli army moved about a kilometre into the Gaza Strip to the east of Khan Yunis. Later, Islamic Jihad and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades said six of their members were killed when they crashed a pick-up truck and a car through the border fence in central Gaza.
Palestinian militants belonging to the Islamic Jihad and Hamas groups fired at the troops. The Israeli military said its aircraft had fired missiles at two vehicles as they approached an army security post, but denied the militants had breached the border.
Three were killed and more injured in return fire by Israeli tank shells, our correspondent adds.
The army has vowed to continue its operations in Gaza while Palestinian militants continue to fire rockets into Israel.
Fierce clashes
Meanwhile, Palestinian militants said they had attacked an Israeli army post on the Gaza-Israeli border, crashing a pick-up truck through the barrier fence.
The claim came in a statement from Islamic Jihad and the Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.
Earlier, in the West Bank, members of Islamic Jihad shot dead a Palestinian policeman after he stopped their car for a routine check, in the town of Jenin, the Associated Press reported.Earlier, in the West Bank, members of Islamic Jihad shot dead a Palestinian policeman after he stopped their car for a routine check, in the town of Jenin, the Associated Press reported.