GAZA, June 25: Israel killed four Palestinians in a missile strike and gunbattle in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Palestinian militant leaders denied reports that they had agreed to stop attacks on Israelis.

The latest bloodletting deepened doubts as to whether Hamas, the main Palestinian militant group behind a campaign of suicide bombings against Israel, would soon call a truce to shore up the struggling US-backed roadmap.

Political leaders of Hamas and other hardline groups denied media reports they had tentatively decided to suspend attacks after talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and said Israel’s military action would not advance truce prospects.

“We have no idea about these reports. We are still in a process of consultation within the movement. Every time we near a decision (Israel) slaughters more of our people,” senior Hamas figure Abdel Aziz al Rantissi said after the missile volley that wounded a targeted Hamas militant but killed two civilians.

“A decision will be made in coming days. We will take all developments and the continued Israeli aggression into account,” said Mr Rantissi, who escaped with light wounds when Israel tried to assassinate him with helicopter missiles on June 10.

Mohammed al-Hindi, leader of the Islamic Jihad, called reports that a truce was in place “all lies”.

Witnesses said missiles crashed into two cars near Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, killing two Palestinians, including a woman and wounding their apparent target, a Hamas operative.—Reuters