Four Palestinians have been killed in an explosion in a school in the southern Gaza Strip near the border with Egypt.
The exact circumstances of the blast are unclear. Ghazi Jibali, the Gaza police commander, said three bombs were planted near a school in Rafah.
Palestinian police defused two but the third exploded, killing three police officers. Hospital officials said six other Palestinians are being treated for injuries. Jibali claimed Palestinians working for Israeli intelligence planted the bombs.
A spokesman for the Palestinian Popular Resistance group said three of its members, who are also Palestinian police, were on their way to plant a bomb when Israeli forces ambushed them.
The group is associated with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement and has taken responsibility for mortar attacks and bombings against Jewish settlements and soldiers in the past.
The Israeli military said it knew nothing about the explosion. More than an hour after the blast, the body of a fourthPalestinian was found. Fearing Palestinian attacks, Israeli police have been reinforced by soldiers in Jerusalem.
A Palestinian died late last night in an Egyptian hospital of wounds from Israeli fire received in a clash in the Gaza Strip earlier this month, a Palestinian medical official said.
Ibrahim Abu Waily, 20, was hit in the chest by a bullet at Khan Yunes on April 7 and was evacuated to a Cairo hospital, the official said, adding that his body would be returned home later today.
His death brought to 494 the number of people killed as a direct result of the Palestinian uprising which broke out seven months ago: 407 Palestinians, 73 Israelis, 13 Arab Israelis and one German.
PA, AFP