Two Israelis were killed in an attack on a vehicle in the Gaza Strip today, Israeli medics said.
A security source said that a Palestinian gunman was shot dead in an ensuing firefight.
Responsibility for the attack at a roadblock near Kissufim, in central Gaza, was claimed by two Palestinian militant groups - the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades linked to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah group, and Islamic Jihad.
Israeli censors barred publication of some key details of the attack.
According to the medics, the Israelis died of their injuries at the scene shortly after what appeared to be a grenade attack. A security source said that a gunman was killed shortly afterwards in a gunbattle.
Palestinian security officials said that five Palestinians were wounded, one seriously, at the scene after Israelis opened fire on vehicles at the roadblock and that four Palestinian policemen were arrested.