Israeli occupation forces have killed four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as Israeli forces continue their deadly raids into the Rafah refugee camp. The Palestinians were killed early on Tuesday several hours after two Israeli officers were killed in an ambush in central Gaza Strip, witnesses told Aljazeera. The latest victim was named as Khamis Anwar al-Rahi, a 21-year-old member of the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement. He died of his injuries after being struck by shell fragments, the sources said. Ayid Najar, 24, Halil al-Kassas, 50, and Ali Majah, 22, died during exchanges of fire with Israeli troops during the operation by some 15 jeeps and armoured vehicles. Nineteen other Palestinians were wounded, four seriously, in the ongoing operation, during which several houses were also damaged. "Israeli helicopters fired on a group of residents, seriously wounding two and severing their legs," Aljazeera's correspondent reported. **Ambush*** More casualties were expected as clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian resistance fighters were continuing in the southern Gaza Strip area, she added. The Rafah raid by occupation forces occurred hours after two Israeli army officers were killed in an ambush in central Gaza. They were the first Israeli deaths in fighting in the occupied territories in a month. Two Palestinian factions claimed responsibility for killing the army officers late on Monday. A resistance fighter was later shot dead. The latest clashes highlighted rising Middle East tensions clouding efforts to revive a stalled US-backed peace "road map". **Egyptian envoy attacked*** Earlier, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Mahir was rushed to hospital on Monday for checks after being jostled by a Palestinian crowd in Jersualem. Witnesses said Mahir, 68, the most senior Egyptian minister to visit Israel since a Palestinian uprising began in 2000, was jostled and possibly struck by a crowd shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greater) at al-Aqsa mosque. The crowd threw shoes they had removed for prayers at his entourage and at Israeli police taking him out of the ancient mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine. Egypt expressed "deep regret" at the attack, but said its commitment to peace in the region was undimmed. An Israeli police spokesman said the attackers were from a fringe Islamic group called the Liberation Party. Police arrested seven Palestinians over the incident. Some Palestinians have never forgiven Egypt for signing a peace deal with the Jewish state in 1979. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Quraya said he was "shocked and furious" at the attack and vowed to pursue those behind it. **PHOTO CAPTION*** A Hamas fighter takes aim during an Israeli raid in Rafah.