Two Palestinian boys were killed on Friday when Israeli special forces opened fire at them in an open area that was once the Israeli settlement of Dugit in the northern Gaza Strip. Ahmad Abu Zubeida, 9 and Zaher Majdalawi, 10 were reportedly playing in the area, shooting birds with slingshots, when they were shot at point blank range. One was shot in the heart and the other in the thigh, causing him to bleed to death.

Israeli military sources claim the two boys, whom they put at 11 and 13 years of age, were planting explosive devices near the border fence. Palestinian sources have vehemently denied the allegation. Eighteen-year-old Hamza Al Masri also died on Friday from wounds sustained a week ago in Beit Lahiya.

On Friday, Israeli sources also assassinated Al Quds Brigades operative, 30-year-old Fadi Abu Mustapha. Israeli missiles were fired at Abu Mustapha as he was riding his motorcycle in Khan Younis.

Furthermore, Israeli helicopters and tanks continued to fire missiles at residential areas throughout the Gaza Strip, causing material damage and panic among the residents but no further injuries.

Meanwhile, media sources reported that Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal offered to halt the firing of Qassam rockets into Israel if the latter halted its assassination of Hamas activists. According to the report, Meshaal pitched his offer during a phone conversation with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who then passed on the message to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israel has not yet formally responded to the offer.

Hamas has also requested from Egypt to host a meeting between all the Palestinian factions somewhere in mid-June to discuss all the pressing issues in the Palestinian arena including internal Palestinian issues, the siege, imposing overall calm and rebuilding the PLO. Hamas’ statement comes after the completion of bilateral talks between Palestinian factions and Egypt in a bid to formulate a unified Palestinian front. Egypt has played a key role in hammering out the latest ceasefire deal between Hamas and Fateh and is currently helping to create mechanisms for its implementation.