Palestinian militants kill two in rocket attack

Palestinian militants fired a barrage of home-made rockets at the Israeli border town of Sderot today, killing an Israeli man and a three-year-old boy.

It marked the first time in nearly four years of fighting that Israelis were killed by rockets from Gaza, and harsh Israeli retaliation was expected.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called an emergency security Cabinet meeting for later today – an indication that he would seek special approval for military action.

Seven people, including the toddler’s mother, were wounded in the rocket attack, for which the Islamic militant group Hamas claimed responsibility.

The rockets fell just hours after militants from Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades blew up an Israeli army outpost in the heart of Gaza with hundreds of pounds of explosives, killing an Israeli soldier and wounding five.

However, the burst of attacks was not expected to disrupt Sharon’s plan to withdraw from Gaza by the end of 2005.

Sharon has said a withdrawal is crucial for Israel’s security and that he is determined to go ahead.