Israeli missiles batter targets in Gaza Strip

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Israeli missile strikes hit a succession of militant targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday, killing two, while Hamas fired more rockets toward Israel. Palestinian factions met to discuss a possible truce with Israel.

The factions met at the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Gaza but Abbas himself did not attend. Participants said it ended without agreement.

Abbas has proposed a halt to rocket attacks on Israel for a month to allow the Palestinian factions to discuss a more comprehensive truce with Israel as well as shoring up a shaky cease-fire between rivals Hamas and Fatah. But his opponents have rejected the suggestion.

Israel has carried out dozens of airstrikes over the past 10 days in retaliation for stepped-up Palestinian rocket fire on southern Israeli towns near the border with Gaza. More than 40 Palestinians have been killed and the rocket barrages have severely disrupted life in the area near Gaza, sending thousands of frightened Israeli residents fleeing.

On Friday, two Hamas militants were killed and five people were injured after an Israeli missile hit their car, security officials said. The vehicle was left a charred wreck of twisted metal.

The army confirmed it had targeted militants belonging to a Hamas rocket production team who were on their way to attack Israel.

Israeli airstrikes hit two Hamas locations in Gaza early today near the home of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, Palestinian security officials said.

The army confirmed the attacks in the Shati refugee camp but stressed that Haniyeh himself was not a target. No one was injured in the airstrikes, which left two large craters, smashed surrounding windows and cut electricity in the heavily crowded camp.

It was the second day in a row in which the army targeted locations near Haniyeh's home.