Three Palestinians have been killed in an attack launched by Israeli aircraft in the southern Gaza Strip.

Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza reported that the dead on Saturday were all members of the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad and were killed when an Israeli strike hit their car in the town of Khan Younis.

Samir Abu Shamala also said that Ziyad Ghannam, one of the senior leaders of the al-Quds Brigades, was among the dead.

Four people were also wounded.

The Israeli army confirmed it had targeted a civilian car carrying members of Islamic Jihad and fired several missiles at the car.

It also said it had targeted an armed group from al-Quds Brigades which it said had participated in an earlier armed operation against the Israeli army on the Israeli-Palestinian border in the east of the Gaza Strip.

Holding back

Hamas radio initially broadcast that three members of its military wing were killed but later said this was not accurate.

Abu Mujahid, a spokesman for Popular Resistance Committees, said one of the dead belonged to his group.

On Wednesday, Israeli troops killed at least 11 Palestinians in incursions into the Gaza Strip.

Although Hamas gunmen took part in the fighting and were among the dead, the group appears to be scaling back its military activity against Israel as it struggles to consolidate its hold on Gaza.

Rocket fire and attacks on Israel have diminished significantly since, with Islamic Jihad taking the lead from Hamas.

But Israel has said it would continue to go after armed men preparing attacks on Israelis.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinians gather around a car hit by an Israeli air strike