Casualties in Jerusalem shooting

Two Palestinian gunmen have opened fire on an Israeli patrol in east Jerusalem, wounding four Israelis, emergency services there have said.

Israeli border police returned fire, killing both of the Palestinians, police said.

The incident took place in the Sheik Said neighbourhood of the city.

It comes amid heightened tension between Israel and the Palestinians, with rocket attacks and air strikes across the Israel-Gaza border.

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Ramallah says there have been threats by militant groups in the Gaza Strip to retaliate after Israeli bombing raids killed at least 40 people in recent days, but it is not known whether this attack was linked.

'Rare' attack

The shooting is reported to have taken place near the barrier Israel is building in the West Bank.

A splinter group from the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, linked to the Fatah party of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said it was responsible for the attack, the Palestinian news website Maan said.

The border police had been patrolling with civilian guards, reports said.

The BBC's Middle East correspondent Tim Franks says such incidents in east Jerusalem are extremely rare.

One of the wounded Israelis was hit in the chest and in a serious condition, AP reported.

A Palestinian bystander was also critically injured in the gunfight and was treated by Israeli medical staff at the scene, the agency said.