The Israeli army confirmed the striking of a group of Gaza militants in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah on Sunday.

An Israeli army spokesman told Xinhua that the Israeli soldiers hit a group of gunmen after they were discovered trying to fire rockets from the area.

The attack left three militants dead, according to Palestinian medical sources and witnesses.

Local sources said the militants were members of the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement.

Earlier, the witnesses said that a powerful blast rocked east Deir al-Balah when a group of Palestinian militants was about to fire rockets into Israel from there.

Security sources said an Israeli missile hit the group shortly after they have fired the first rocket into an Israeli target beyond an electric fence that marks the borderline.

Earlier the Israeli army said it was checking if the explosion was a result of an Israeli attack on the fighters.

Hospital officials said a fourth gunman was seriously injured.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2010)