Israel injures two in Gaza air strike -residents

GAZA, May 31 (Reuters) Israel injured at least two Palestinians in an air strike against rocket launchers in the northern Gaza Strip today, local residents said.

The Israeli army said an air strike was carried out against a rocket launching site but no people were in the area at the time.

''There were several rocket launchers. One launched and at least one other rocket launcher was ready to launch,'' said an Israeli army spokesman.

Israel has rebuffed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's call for a ceasefire under which Gaza militants would halt cross-border rocket attacks and Israel would stop its bombing campaign in the coastal strip.

Hamas, which formed a unity government with Abbas's Fatah faction two months ago, says any ceasefire must include an immediate end to all Israeli attacks in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank, a demand rejected repeatedly by Israel.

Abbas said he will meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on June 7. An Olmert spokeswoman said the upcoming talks were likely to take place in the West Bank city of Jericho.

Hamas and other militant groups have fired more than 270 rockets from Gaza, killing two Israelis, over the past two weeks.

Israel has hit back mainly with air strikes, killing nearly 50 Palestinians, most of them fighters.

REUTERS AGL DS1140