Gaza militants die in Israel raid

At least two Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli helicopter strike near a Jewish settlement in Gaza.

The Israeli army said the men - Islamic Jihad militants - were suspected of carrying explosives.

In another incident, two Palestinians were killed in a car bomb explosion in the West Bank town of Qalqilya.

The two men killed in Gaza on Saturday were identified as Omar Nufal, 26, and Ramzi al-Jaabir, 29 - both Islamic Jihad members.

Israel said it had killed a third militant alongside them, but Palestinians have not confirmed this.

Suspected device

The three had been spotted "carrying what was suspected to be an explosive device" near the Gush Katif settlement, the army said.

It said one of its soldiers had been slightly wounded.

The Gaza Strip has been occupied by Israel since it captured the territory in the 1967 war.

About 1.4 million Palestinians live in Gaza, of which 900,000 are refugees from conflicts with Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is planning to withdraw settlers and Israeli soldiers from Gaza next year, though Israel will maintain control of Gaza's borders, coastline and airspace.