Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations    

    GAZA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Two Israeli soldiers were killed early on Wednesday in the Gaza Strip, while killing five Palestinian militants, including four from Hamas and one from Islamic Jihad, Israeli and Palestinian sources said.

    An Israel Army spokesman told Gaza news agency Ramattan that two Israeli soldiers were killed during an Israeli military operation carried out into Sheja'eya neighborhood on eastern Gaza City.

Palestinians inspect the damage at a mosque in the Sheja'eya neighborhood of Gaza City. Israeli troops backed by assault helicopters stormed into the Gaza Strip and battled heavily-armed militants, killing four Hamas fighters and reportedly losing two of their own.(AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Hamas armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades said in separate leaflets sent to reporters by e-mail that said that four of its militants were killed and five wounded at predawn on Wednesday in clashes with Israeli soldiers near the borders between eastern Gaza and Israel.

    It added that its militants fired around 57 mortar shells at the Israeli army forces that invaded the eastern part of the neighborhood in eastern Gaza City.

    Palestinian residents in the neighborhood said that several Israeli army tanks, armored vehicles and bulldozers backed by helicopters stormed the eastern area of Sheja'eya amid intensive gunfire.

    They said that the Israeli operation began at midnight and explosions and intensive gunfire was heard all night, adding that early in the morning the Israeli army forcers pulled back into Israel.

    Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad (Holy War) movement said in a statement that one of its militants was shot dead in an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers near the borders between the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah and Israel.

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