Three Palestinian militants have been killed and 13 Israeli soldiers wounded in clashes at an Israeli-controlled crossing-point into the Gaza Strip.

Hamas militants drove vehicles at the Kerem Shalom crossing in heavy fog.

Explosives in at least two of the cars were detonated, Israeli forces kill 17 Palestinians in Gaza ...
Hamas men killed in Gaza clashes ...
Carter meets former Hamas cabinet minister ... and guns and mortar bombs were fired at the Israelis, who responded with gunfire.

Two Palestinians were reported killed by Israeli forces in other, separate incidents in Gaza on Saturday.

The attack at Kerem Shalom - the latest in a series of assaults on Israeli-run crossing-points into Gaza - came hours before the start of the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover.

'No illusions'

A Hamas leader, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the group would carry out more attacks on crossings to break Israel's blockade of the territory.

The blockade - which allows only limited supplies into Gaza via crossings including Kerem Shalom - began last year after Hamas seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"These operations are the beginning of the explosions that Hamas has warned of," said Mr Abu Zuhri.

"If the parties don't intervene quickly to save Gaza and break the siege, what is coming will be greater."

Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said Hamas was showing disregard for the welfare of Gaza's residents by attacking the crossings.

"Israel has no illusions as to the true nature of Hamas and as to that organization's extremists agenda," he said.

"It is not an accident that the international community views Hamas as illegitimate and has officially declared Hamas a terrorist organisation."

(BBC)

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