GAZA CITY, July 12: Four Palestinians died on Friday as Israeli forces combed the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the hunt for armed militants, in a bid to crush the 21-month-old intifada once and for all.

During a pre-dawn raid on a police station in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces shot dead a 25-year-old policeman and a 13-year-old boy, who was inside a nearby home, Palestinian security and hospital officials said.

Wounded in the attack at the station near Deir el-Balah, south of Gaza City, were four civilians and two security men, who were listed in serious condition and transported to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the officials said.

The dead policeman, Khaled al-Khatib, was hit in the chest and head, while the boy, Muween al-Udani, died after a bullet struck him in the head, the hospital officials said.

Israeli forces delayed an ambulance from reaching the boy for two hours, said Doctor Ahmed Rabah, director of Deir el-Balah hospital, adding that Udani had died by the time it finally arrived.

Israeli troops, some in armoured vehicles, had charged into the Palestinian self-rule area at 1:30 am on Thursday), opening fire with heavy machine guns on the police post, security sources said.—AFP