Israel kills two Gaza militants

Israel killed two Palestinian militants in an air strike yesterday hours after its interim Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, voiced hope of continued talks with the Palestinian Authority despite Hamas' recent election win.

An Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at a car in the northern Gaza Strip, witnesses said, killing two local leaders of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction.

The Israeli military said the men were en route to fire rockets into the Jewish state. It was the third such air strike in as many days, with a total of seven Gaza militants killed.

Al-Aqsa vowed revenge. "Our answer is open war on all Zionists, soldiers and civilians," said spokesman Abu Qusai.

Mr Olmert said Israel hoped for continued peace talks with Mr Abbas as long as he remained independent of the Islamic militant group Hamas, which is trying to form a new Palestinian government.

Mr Abbas agreed a ceasefire with Israel a year ago, but peacemaking has been stalled, with the Israeli government demanding he carry out commitments under a US-backed "road map" to disarm militant groups.

"We have no interest in hurting the head of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Mazen," Mr Olmert said in a broadcast speech.

"As long as he does not cooperate with Hamas and the Palestinian government is not a Hamas government, we will cooperate with the Palestinian Authority cautiously and responsibly," he said.

Mr Olmert's comments coincided with a report in the Haaretz newspaper that Mr Abbas recently sent emissaries to tell Israeli officials he would continue to be responsible for diplomatic contacts with Israel after Hamas's win.

The Israeli daily said Mr Abbas had requested Israel keep up dialogue with him, receiving Olmert's assurance that he would.

A Hamas leader said on Saturday the group hoped to form a government later this month after agreeing with Abbas to convene parliament on February 16.

Mr Olmert, who has threatened unilateral moves in the absence of a peace partner, said Israel wanted to avoid "playing into the hands of extremists" and missing "the chance that may exist for new hope for Palestinians and Israelis".