"Hamas will quickly avenge this attack, this assassination of one of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza and also for the attacks on Baghdad," one of the group's senior political leaders, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, told AFP, also referring to the US-British invasion of Iraq.

At least two of those killed in the attack were members of the group's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, including a local leader.

"If the Israelis continue, we will continue our resistance and we will take our revenge for this crime very soon," Rantissi warned.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat also slammed the attack which saw Israeli F16 fighters and Apache combat helicopters fire missiles at a residential area.

"We condemn this crime by Israel which killed seven Palestinians and wounded 27, including children," he told AFP by telephone.

"Israel is using the war in Iraq to escalate its aggression against the Palestinian people."

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SPACE.WIRE