Israeli Air Strike Severely Injures 4 Gaza Palestinian Militants

an Israeli air strike severely wounds four Palestinians who were allegedly preparing a rocket attack targeted at southern Israeli territory. Photo by BGNES

An Israeli air strike wounded four Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Friday morning, according to the Israeli military and Palestinian medical workers.

The strike took place near the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, and two of the injured was said to be in serious condition.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said the strike targeted militants in the Hamas-controlled territory who were about to fire rockets into southern Israel.

The four gunmen, one of whom was seriously wounded in the strike, were members of Islamic Jihad; one was reported to be a member of a group called Jaljalat which an Israeli army spokesperson described as an extremist group in Gaza with "ties to Al-Qaeda."

Overnight Israeli reports had claimed that five mortar shells were launched from the Gaza Strip four hours before the air strike. The military confirmed the landing of two mortar shells only from Gaza overnight. There were no injuries or damage caused by the strikes.

This incident has occurred during negotiations between the Israelis and Islamist group Hamas. Both sides could be nearing a prisoner swap deal that would secure the release of a captured Israeli soldier.

But Hamas officials have said that the indirect negotiations have hit a snag and are on hold until the end of the four-day Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday.

Meanwhile, another terror attack was thwarted overnight Thursday when Israeli Defense Force soldiers stationed near the border with Egypt spotted and detained a man carrying a rucksack containing an explosive device weighing 15 kilograms.

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