One Israeli was killed and four Israel Defense Forces troops were wounded Wednesday morning when an explosive device went off along a patrol route near the settlement of Morag in the southern Gaza Strip.

The victim was identified as Gideon Rivlin, 50, a father of five from the Ganei Tal settlement in the Gaza Strip. Rivlin worked for a company that installed security fences in the area.

The blast was believed to be caused by a bomb that was planted by a Palestinian militant in a tunnel dug under the patrolling route.

Two militants who carried out the attack were killed by IDF gunfire in the aftermath of the attack. One body was located near the scene of the bombing, while another militant was thought to have fled. Military forces later found his body.

The Israeli civilian was working near hot houses on the outskirts of the settlement when the explosion went off as the military vehicle carrying the troops was crossing.

The Gush Katif settlers' council said their murdered colleague, along with the four injured soldiers were all victims of the government's policy of restraint.

The radical Islamic Jihad movement claimed responsibility for the attack, Reuters reported.


IDF TROOPS KILL TWO PALESTINIANS IN WEST BANK

IDF troops on Wednesday morning killed two Palestinian militants, members of the radical Islamic movement Hamas, in an operation in the West Bank village of Qarwat Beni Zeit north-west of Ramallah, Israel Radio reported.

The troops surrounded a house in the village and called on occupants to leave, they then entered to search the premises.

Fire was opened on the troops and they returned fire, killing two Palestinians, an Army spokesman said.

After a check, the troops determined that the two Palestinians killed were the activists they had come to arrest, the army spokesman said. One was carrying a Kalashnikov rifle.

Palestinian residents of the village confirmed that the army was conducting an operation in the village, with 20 military vehicles. The residents said they could not tell if anyone had been killed since they could not approach the area where they could hear exchanges of fire.


PALESTINIANS CONTINUE GAZA SETTLEMENTS SHELLING

Palestinians fired on Wednesday morning three mortar shells at a Gush Katif settlement in the Gaza Strip.

The shells hit and damaged hot houses at the settlement's outskirts. No casualties were reported.

In a separate incident in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian militants fires an anti-tank missile at an IDF force patrolling outside a settlement. No casualties were reported in this incident.


IDF TANKS OPERATE IN GAZA CITY

Also on Wednesday morning, IDF tanks briefly entered Gaza City and wounded one militant in fighting that ensued, while four others were arrested, Palestinian witnesses reported.

Palestinian security officials and witnesses said Israel Air Force helicopters fired two missiles at a target south of Gaza City shortly before the tanks moved into the city.

Military officials said the operation began with helicopters firing warning shots into an open area. They would not say what the object of the raid was.

Residents said after firing the missiles, the helicopters raked the area with machine gun fire, and Israel Defense Forces tanks left the isolated Netzarim settlement nearby, entering Gaza City.

Witnesses said gunmen were exchanging fire with the soldiers, who entered the Ajlin neighborhood of the city.