By DPA
Tel Aviv : Israeli soldiers killed four Palestinian militants in two separate incidents in the Gaza Strip overnight, a military spokeswoman said Tuesday.
In the first incident, soldiers spotted and opened fire on three armed men who were trying to infiltrate Israel from the Gaza Strip, close to the Israeli village of Nativ Ha’asara, the target of a similar infiltration attempt some months ago.
Two of the gunmen were killed in the ensuing exchange of fire, and the third fled back into the Strip.
The second incident took place in the south of the salient, when soldiers opened fire on a group of gunmen who were approaching the border fence. Two of the gunmen were killed.
Late Monday night an Israeli settler was killed in a drive-by shooting in the northern West Bank.
Israeli security officials said they assume militants would attempt to carry out major attacks ahead of the international meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be held this week in Annapolis, Maryland.