Israeli airstrike kills 4 militants in Gaza

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli airstrike killed four Palestinian militants early today in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian witnesses and officials said.

Moaiya Hassanain, of the Gaza Health Ministry, said nine others were wounded in the strike, including two who were in critical condition.

Hamas officials said the dead included two of its men and two from another militant group who were on a night patrol east of Khan Younis, a town in the southern Gaza Strip.

The army said it carried out the strike after identifying armed men near its border with Gaza.

Israel carries out regular military operations in Gaza, targeting militants launching near-daily rocket barrages into Israel.

Israel began reducing fuel supplies to Gaza last month in response to ongoing rocket fire from Palestinian militants, and planned to begin scaling back electricity beginning Sunday.

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled Friday that the Israeli government can continue cutting fuel supplies to residents of Gaza but must postpone an electricity cut planned for this weekend.

The ruling was in response to a legal challenge from a coalition of human rights groups that claims the policy constitutes collective punishment.

The Islamic group Hamas seized control of Gaza in June. Israel responded by largely closing off the territory and its 1.5 million people from the outside world. Gaza is dependent on Israel for all of its fuel and about half its electricity.

The near-daily barrages of rockets and mortars fired by Gaza militants have killed 12 Israelis and disrupted life for thousands. So far, Israeli sanctions and regular military operations have failed to stop the fire. Israel ordered the progressive utility cuts hoping that Palestinian residents would pressure militant groups to stop the attacks.