1 Israeli, 2 Palestinians Killed in Gaza City Clash

JERUSALEM —  A powerful bomb planted by Palestinian militants blew up as an Israeli patrol searched an area on the outskirts of Gaza City early today, killing one soldier, Israeli military sources said.

The militant group Hamas, which claimed responsibility, said in a statement that two of its fighters were killed in a subsequent exchange of fire with Israeli troops.

The explosion and gun battle ended what had been a relative lull in Gaza Strip violence since the Nov. 11 death of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat. In the months before that, the coastal strip had been roiled by almost constant fighting.

Since Arafat’s death, Hamas, the largest Palestinian militant group, had signaled its willingness to consider a long-term cease-fire and perhaps participate in the new Palestinian government. The group is boycotting the presidential election scheduled for Jan. 9 but is fielding candidates in municipal elections set to begin this month.

Israel has promised that its army would act with restraint in advance of the Palestinian elections to help ensure that the vote could be carried out smoothly.

According to Israeli military sources, today’s incident began about 3 a.m., when a foot patrol was engaged in what were described as routine searches in the Shajaiya neighborhood on the outskirts of Gaza City, a stronghold of Hamas.

After the troops entered an abandoned chicken coop, at least one explosion tore through the structure, killing one Israeli and injuring two.

The soldiers exchanged fire with Palestinian fighters for several hours afterward. Troops backed by combat helicopters pushed into the nearby neighborhood to search for the assailants, military sources said.

Large explosions and the sound of machine-gun fire echoed through Shajaiya for hours, Palestinian witnesses said.

Hamas said in a telephone statement to Western news agencies that it had blown up an Israeli tank in the ambush. The Israeli army said it was possible that an armored jeep had been damaged or destroyed but could not confirm it.

The Hamas spokesman said that two of the militant group’s fighters were killed but that several escaped.

The fighting took place near the Jewish settlement of Netzarim, a frequent target of attacks.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he intends to uproot Gaza Strip settlements next year, but the Israeli leader, a onetime patron of settlers, has encountered heavy right-wing resistance to the initiative.

Sharon’s governing coalition now controls just 40 seats in the 120-member Knesset, and he is expected to try to form an alliance with the left-leaning Labor Party to avoid being toppled.