JERUSALEM, 28 June 2004 — Palestinians blew up part of an Israeli military post in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday and one Israeli was believed killed and at least five others wounded, an Israeli television station reported.

The Palestinians dug a 350 meters tunnel under the army post near the southern Gaza Strip settlement of Gush Katif and set off a large quantity of explosives. Witnesses reported hearing two enormous explosions rip through the base.

Israel’s Channel 10 television said one Israeli was believed to have died in the attack and at least five were wounded.

Rescue workers initially reported as many as 30 casualties in the blast, but they later revised their figures to six soldiers wounded. One was trapped in the rubble, they said.

Rescue efforts were hampered when Palestinian gunmen opened mortar and gunfire at soldiers and medics rushing to the scene.

But when ambulance crews finally reached the scene after two hours they reported that only part of the building had been damaged. Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed joint responsibility for the nighttime attack on a road leading to the Gush Katif Jewish settlement bloc.

They said the attack was in reaction for Israel’s assassination of Hamas leaders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz Al-Rantissi as well as the killing of Nayef Abu Sharekh, an Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades leader who died in the West Bank city of Nablus on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip shortly after the blast at the army post in the occupied territory, Palestinian medics and witnesses said.

They said the Palestinians were killed at the town of Khan Younis, not far from where the military post was blown up.

The army said it was checking the reports. Military sources said there had been heavy exchanges of fire in the area.

Earlier yesterday, Palestinians had vowed to set off an “earthquake” of revenge for seven fighters killed by Israel.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei denounced Israel’s ugly crime in Nablus in mercilessly killing the Palestinians.

In a statement, Qorei said that killing and assassination of Palestinian civilians was a part of the Israeli strategy.

“Israel must know that these crimes will not weaken our determination to regain our legitimate rights, and what happened in Nablus is also a clear message to the peace Quartet”, Qorei said.

The Israeli Army withdrew from Nablus yesterday, after four days of searches.