Two Palestinian militants were killed on Tuesday evening when Israeli army spotted and opened fire at them to the east of Gaza City, medical sources told Xinhua.

Witnesses and hospital officials said that Israeli troops, stationed on the security fence separating Gaza and Israel, spotted fighters approaching the border and fired a shell and barrage of machinegun fire towards them.

The paramedics said the two were identified as Esmat Muhrra and Rafah al-Najjar. They were taken to Kamal Adwan hospital in Jabaliya refugee camp.

Sources said the two fighters were members of Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Islamic Hamas movement which controls the Gaza Strip.

A state of non-binding, unofficial lull between Hamas and Israel has been shaken in the last few days with the death of six Palestinians, including a fisherman and three smugglers, by Israeli fire in three incidents.

(Xinhua News Agency September 2, 2009)