Gaza(DPA) : Five Islamic Hamas militants were killed and seven wounded before dawn Saturday in the southern Gaza Strip in missile strikes by Israeli aircraft, medics and witnesses said.
Hamas sources said that five militants from the groups’ armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, were killed and seven wounded in an air strike carried out by Israeli helicopters against guard stations in Abbassan, a village in southern Gaza.
Al-Qassam Brigades leaders usually ask their militants to guard the Gaza borders overnight to foil any Israeli ground thrust into the Hamas-ruled territory.
Mo’aweya Hassanein, chief of emergency in the Health Ministry, said that there were two brothers among the five dead, and two of the seven wounded were in serious condition.
Palestinian witnesses said that the Israeli helicopters fired six missiles into two border installations.
Palestinian paramedics said that the helicopters followed with heavy machine-gun fire to delay ambulances in reaching the area, which was blamed for raising the death toll.
Israel had recently decided to respond to rockets attacks launched by militants from the Gaza Strip toward southern Israeli towns and communities. Israel is reportedly preparing for a large-scale military operation against Gaza militants.
Ten militants were killed in a series of Israeli air strikes last week on Hamas militant groups in southern and northern Gaza Strip.