Two Palestinians killed in Gaza after Israel targets Hamas post

Hamas' military wing has announced two of its members were killed by artillery fire in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning.

The al-Qassam brigades named the victims as Ahmed Morjan, 23, and Abdelhafid Silawi, 23, both from the Jabaliya Refugee Camp in northern Gaza. Six people were also reported injured.

The Israeli military said its tanks fired at an outpost belonging to Hamas, in response to militants shooting at Israeli forces on the border from the same post.

However witnessed denied to The New Arab that any such shooting from the Palestinian side took place.

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Pictures of Morjan (above) and Silawi (below) appeared on social media in the wake of the attack.

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The Israeli military posted a video that purported to show Hamas militants shooting at Israel, and the targeting of the post in response. However the clip has not been verified.

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No Israeli casualties were reported.

The Israeli military tweeted in the aftermath of the attack: "The IDF is prepared to target any aggression against Israel and holds Hamas responsible for everything happening in and emanating from the Gaza Strip."

Unrest has been brewing in the besieged enclave, which has been under an Israeli-imposed land, sea and air blockade since 2007. The siege has decimated the Gazan economy and caused living standards to plummet.

Hundreds of Palestinians, including children, journalists and medical professionals, have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in recent months.

The incident coincides with the meeting of Hamas leaders from abroad in Gaza to discuss a draft ceasefire deal with Israel brokered by Egypt and the UN.

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