Israelis kill two gunmen in Gaza

Israel also bombed a Fatah office in Gaza City on Wednesday

An Israeli air strike has killed two Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip close to the border fence with Israel.

Palestinian security officials said the men, who were reportedly armed with assault rifles, were from the militant group al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.

Israel warned on Tuesday it would step up its bombardment of Gaza, despite the deaths of 16 Palestinians, including two children, in artillery attacks.

Officials said the attacks were to stop militants firing rockets at Israel.

An Israeli warplane fired a missile at the two men south of the former Kissufim crossing after a gun battle on the ground, the army said.

According to Palestinian security officials, the gunmen were on their way to plant bombs.

Israel withdrew its military forces - along with the settlers they were protecting - from the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2005.

But it has kept exclusive control of Gaza's airspace and territorial waters and the Israeli-Gaza border.