Five Palestinians Killed in Israel Strike on Gaza, Official Says

Five Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip today in an Israeli air strike, Gaza emergency medical services spokesman Adham Abu Selmeya told reporters.

The strike was launched against a squad preparing to launch rockets into southern Israel, the Israeli army said in an e- mailed statement. The same group was responsible for firing a rocket into Israel on Wednesday, the army said.

The Islamic Jihad militant group said in a text message that five of its members were killed in an Israeli air strike on one of its training bases, including a senior commander of the movement. Islamic Jihad said it would retaliate for the attack.