The killing of four Palestinian militants in Gaza Strip on Saturday
endangered again the ceasefire between Palestinians and Israel days
after Palestinian factions have renewed their commitment to it.

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli army opened fire at four Palestinian
militants from the Islamic Hamas movement near the Gaza-Israel border
east of Gaza City, killing three at the scene and badly wounded the
fourth who were shifted to hospital later, according to medics at Shifa
Hospital in Gaza City.

Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources report that Israeli army shot
dead another Palestinian allegedly also from Hamas near the border
between southern Gaza Strip and Israel.

Shortly after the two incidents, Hamas' armed wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam
Brigades claimed the four militants in a leaflet, saying they were shot
when they were on a mission near the border.

Abu Obaida, a spokesman for al-Qassam Brigades, said in a written
statement faxed to reporters that the three killed militants at border
east of Gaza City were members of his group, adding they were "on a
jihad mission when the army of occupation targeted them."

However, he did not explain what kind of mission the militants were
carrying out near the border with Israel in eastern Gaza.

Abu Obaida stressed that the "crime of killing the three fighters proves
that the occupation army was not interested in the state of calmness,"
despite its unspecified mission near the border with Israel.

However, an Israeli military spokeswoman said that Israeli army opened
fire at the Palestinians as they were trying to plant the explosive
device at the border fence between eastern Gaza and Israel.

But she denied the separate killing incident in southern Gaza border
area, where a fourth Palestinian man was allegedly killed by Israeli
army. "I was sure that Israeli army did not attack the Palestinian in
southern Gaza," the spokeswoman said.

Last week, Hamas said that the half-year-old ceasefire had expired,
owing to "the continuing Israeli crimes" in West Bank. But Egyptian
mediators announced later they have persuaded Israel and the militant
groups for self-restraint.

Hamas, which leads the current Palestinian unity government, has not
officially confirmed or denied the saying of the Egyptian security
delegation.

However, a spokesman for Hamas named Fawzi Barhoom called on Palestinian
militant groups to "study the mechanisms to respond to the Israeli army
crimes," vowing that his movement will not take negative stance before
the Israeli violations.

Nafez Azzam, a senior Islamic Jihad (Holy War) leader in Gaza, also told
reporters on Saturday that the killing of the four Palestinians "is an
indication that Israel doesn't understand the language of dialogue."

"I'm wondering how Arabs and Palestinians are eager to keep presenting
initiatives to Israel, while Israel is not paying attention to such
initiatives and keeps its aggression on the Palestinians," said Azzam.