GAZA, Dec 30: An Israeli helicopter fired missiles at a car carrying two members of the Hamas group in Gaza City on Tuesday, wounding one of them and about 10 bystanders.

The sources identified one of the Hamas men as Jamal al Jarah, a senior militant in the group’s armed wing in the northern Gaza Strip, and said he was apparently the target of the attack. It was unclear whether he was among the wounded.

It was Israel’s second missile strike in Gaza in less than a week following the recent failure of ceasefire efforts.

“Senior Hamas terrorists were targeted while driving in their car,” an Israeli army spokesman said.

Witnesses said two missiles were fired at the vehicle as it drove through Gaza’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, a Hamas stronghold, after nightfall. Passers-by were hit by shrapnel and flying glass.

Earlier reports spoke of four passengers in the car but security sources later said only two people were inside, Jarah and another member of the Izz el Deen al Qassam brigades.—Reuters