Israel kills two Palestinians in north Gaza-medics

GAZA, Nov 25 (Reuters) Israeli soldiers clashed with Palestinian gunmen in the northern Gaza Strip today, killing one militant, hospital officials said.

In a separate incident overnight, an unidentified Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli troops while approaching the strategic Karni border crossing.

Israeli forces fought militants east of the Gaza town of Beit Lahiya early today, part of an army push to stop Palestinian militants from firing rockets into nearby Israeli cities.

A 23-year-old member of the militant group Islamic Jihad was shot dead by the soldiers, Palestinian hospital officials said. Witnesses said the militant was shot after firing a rocket-propelled grenade at the troops.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said soldiers operating in the area fired at two militants who had approached them and identified hitting one. It was not immediately clear if it was the same incident.

The army spokeswoman also confirmed an incident near Karni late Friday night in which soldiers opened fire at three men, hitting one of them. It was unclear if the man was armed.

Israel began an offensive in the Gaza Strip in June after Palestinian militants from Gaza captured an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid.

Nearly 400 Palestinians, about half of them militants, have been killed since the offensive began, say Palestinian hospital officials.

Palestinian factions in Gaza earlier this week had offered to stop firing rockets if Israel halted military action in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Israel rejected the offer, saying militants must first stop all ''terror activities.'' REUTERS PDM BD1518