The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Gaza City

Israeli troops backed by assault helicopters stormed into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and battled heavily armed militants, killing four Hamas fighters and reportedly losing two of their own.

The clashes marked the second eruption of violence in a week in the Hamas-led Palestinian territory. Two Israeli soldiers were killed and five wounded in an armed confrontation east of Gaza City, the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya satellite channel reported.

Hamas claimed it killed the soldiers in a "sophisticated ambush" in Gaza City. Four Hamas activists were killed in the same area, Palestinian medics said.

The militants of the Ezzedin Al-Qassam Brigades, the Islamic movement's military wing, were killed by members of an Israeli unit backed by helicopters.

Six other Brigades members were captured and taken back to Israel by the soldiers at dawn, the sources said.

The army was involved in several clashes, a military spokeswoman said. In one battle, troops were "targeted by Palestinians and there were several casualties," she said, adding that there had been several incidents and that Palestinians had used anti-tank missiles and mortars as well as assault rifles.