GAZA CITY, Feb 7: An Israeli air strike killed a senior member of the Islamic Jihad and a boy in Gaza City on Saturday, as the Jewish state resumed its assassinations of Palestinian militants.

Palestinian medical and security sources said an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a car belonging to Aziz al Shami, a senior member of Islamic Jihad's military wing, as it was travelling through the centre of the city.

Aziz Shami, 37, died of injuries shortly after being admitted to the city's Al Shifa hospital.

Twelve-year-old Tareq al Sussi was also killed in the blast, which left the car a mass of smouldering metal.

At least nine people, including two children aged two and 10, were wounded and taken to hospital in ambulances forcing their way through a crowd at the scene. Aziz al Shami was a cousin of Abdullah al Shami, a top Islamic Jihad leader in the Gaza Strip.

"This new crime will be avenged and all the armed Palestinian groups will continue their resistance," the Islamic Jihad said in a statement.

Israeli military sources said Mr Shami was targeted because of his involvement in a major attack in 1995 that left 22 Israelis dead and in another attack in October that killed three soldiers in Netzarim.

"Intelligence warnings indicated Shami was currently involved in planning an attack against the community of Netzarim," one source said, adding he was also involved in making weapons and assisting the radical group's top leadership.

Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei, whose Palestinian Authority has warned Israel against resuming its targeted killings of militants, said he had been "informed of an Israeli F-15 raid in Gaza", although other sources said the attack was carried out by helicopter.-AFP