TEL AVIV, Feb 14: Three Israelis were killed and two others injured on Thursday night by a blast near an Israeli tank in the Gaza Strip, a military source said.

A first blast occurred as an “Israeli civilian convoy” passed near a Jewish settlement prompting clashes, the sources said, adding that a second blast took place, killing three and injuring two, when a tank sent as a back-up arrived near the scene.

The blast occurred on a road linking the Jewish settlement of Netzarim to the Karni crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

PALESTINIAN DETAINEES: Israel has agreed to include Palestinian detainees in a prisoner exchange deal with Hezbollah, the leader of the Lebanese group said on Thursday.