Israeli missile strike kills two Palestinians

The body of a second Palestinian was found near a car blown up today by Israeli helicopter gunships close to the northern West…

The body of a second Palestinian was found near a car blown up today by Israeli helicopter gunships close to the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem.

The unidentified body was found in trees close to the scene of the attack and delivered to Tulkarem hospital.

Another man’s charred body was found immediately after the attack, Palestinian medics said.

Israel claimed the dead men were Hamas members planning a suicide attack.

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Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat denounced the killing as "criminal" and a violation of international accords. He said he would raise the matter with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, with whom he is to hold talks later today.

Witnesses said three missiles were fired at a car in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, completely burning one of the three men in the vehicle.

They said helicopter machine guns were fired at the other two passengers who had fled the car.

The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the missile strike in Tulkarm.

Yesterday, Israeli troops killed six Palestinian militants in the West Bank, including a senior member of the militant Islamic group Hamas.

Today's deaths brought the toll of 13 months of the Palestinian uprising, or intifada, to 946, including 741 Palestinians and 183 Israelis.