Hamas militants vow revenge

There were angry protests at the funeral for Ahmed Shtewe

The military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas has vowed to avenge an Israeli missile strike in Gaza which killed four of its members on Sunday.

"We will counterattack as soon as possible the crimes of the Zionist occupation," a statement from the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades' said. "Our response will be painful and quick."

The Israeli army said the main target of the helicopter attack was Ahmed Shtewe, 24, a senior military commander in Gaza, responsible for planning and executing attacks.

A Hamas spokesman said he had pioneered the firing of home-made rockets at Israeli targets.

Israel has vowed to eliminate leaders of Palestinian groups involved in attacks on its citizens, with its army chief saying that any Hamas members were potential targets for "liquidation".

If the Israelis thought assassinations would destroy our determination to continue our resistance, to continue defending ourselves, they are mistaken Ismail Haniya, Hamas spokesman

A Palestinian minister said Sunday's attack proved that Israel was not interested in trying to resurrect the peace process or any kind of ceasefire.

On Thursday, helicopters attacked the car of senior Hamas leader Ismail Abu Shanab in Gaza, killing him and two others, days after a suicide bomb attack left 21 dead in Jerusalem.

Undeterred

Correspondents say there are fears that Israel's decision to renew its policy of "targeted killings" will undermine efforts to rein in militants and implement the already shaky US-backed roadmap to peace.

"If the Israelis thought assassinations would destroy our determination to continue in our resistance, to continue defending ourselves, they are mistaken," Hamas spokesman Ismail Haniya said. "We will move ahead whatever the sacrifice."

Three missiles were fired at a Gaza City seafront area where the four men killed had been sitting for about half an hour.

"I was about to enter my house with my wife, when suddenly a huge explosion shook the ground under my feet," said Shadi Wassi, a local resident.

"When I looked back, I saw a big flame burning the trees, then another two huge explosions hit the area."

The victims were said to be armed and wearing combat fatigues.

Palestinian security divisions

Palestinian officials said the raid would undermine a planned Palestinian security clampdown that began on Saturday with moves against arms smugglers.

"This aims to sabotage the efforts that began last night," Palestinian lawmaker Saeb Erekat told the Associated Press news agency.

"It's very obvious that the Israeli Government is acting as if the Palestinian Authority is something from the past."

Israel has said all militants are potential targets

Israel's army chief, Lieutenant General Moshe Yaalon, said earlier on Sunday that all members of Hamas were "potential targets for liquidation".

"If, at the end of the day, the Palestinian Authority [PA] doesn't move against them, we will have to do so," he said on a day when divisions surfaced within the PA over control of security.

PA leader Yasser Arafat is reported to be pushing for an old comrade, Nasser Yousef, to take overall charge of security matters in what appears to be a direct challenge to the current security chief, Mr Dahlan.

The promotion of Mr Yousef is seen as directly undermining Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.