Gaza City - Seven Palestinians were killed and 18 wounded during an Israeli air raid on the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza overnight, Palestinian security officials said on Saturday.

At least three of those who died were members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of ruling Palestinian movement Hamas.

Officials said that Israeli ground forces also raided the Jabalya area.

Since Thursday 20 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip aimed at putting an end to rocket fire from the territory on southern Israel.

Since June 28 - three days after an Israeli soldier was kidnapped by militants in an attack on an army post near the Gaza Strip - the Israeli army has been pursuing its vast offensive to free him.

More than 220 Palestinians have been killed in the raids.

Two Israeli were slightly wounded late Friday when a rocket fired by Palestinian militants at the southern town of Sderot exploded.

The deaths bring to 5 434 the number of people killed since the September 2000 outbreak of the Palestinian uprising, most of them Palestinians, according to an AFP count.

Source: AFP