Israeli troops gun down four militants

Israeli soldiers killed four Palestinian militants, including a one-armed leader of the militant Islamic Jihad group, in a gun battle in a Gaza refugee camp today, Palestinian witnesses and doctors said.

The army said troops came under fire as they attempted to arrest the militia leader, Yasser Abu Ayish, at his home and returned fire. The army confirmed three gunmen had been killed, while one soldier was slightly injured.

Palestinian witnesses said four people were killed and the militant’s house in the Rafah refugee camp was destroyed.

The army said soldiers searching the building after the firefight found the militant leader’s body inside the house.

Abu Ayish’s legs and arm were blown off last year when a rocket he was building exploded prematurely.

Abu Ayish, who was using a wheelchair, was the leader of the Islamic Jihad military wing in the Rafah area, and was mainly involving in building home-made rockets. He was high on Israel’s wanted list.

The Israeli operation came a day after soldiers carried out a similar raid in the West Bank town of Jericho. One militant was killed.

David Baker, an official in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s office, described the raids as pre-emptive “search and arrest” operations. “We will not wait for these same terrorists to show up on our doorsteps,” he said.