Four armed Palestinians were killed yesterday in clashes with Israeli forces, two in the Gaza Strip and two in the West Bank.

In addition, the air force attacked two Hamas training bases in Gaza, one in Beit Hanun and one near Rafah.

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Rocket fire at southern Israel from Gaza declined: Only three rockets were launched yesterday and caused no casualties.

A naval commando unit entered the suburbs of Khan Yunis, about 1,800 meters from the Gaza-Israel border, before dawn yesterday. The soldiers clashed with armed Hamas operatives, killing two. Two others were arrested and brought to Israel for interrogation. Immediately after the incident, the force returned to Israel.

In the afternoon, a police counterterrorism unit entered the West Bank town of Ramallah to arrest a wanted man, Omar Abdel Halim. A gun battle erupted in which Abdel Halim, 22, was killed. He belonged to the Palestinian Authority's presidential guard, Force 17, but was also a member of Fatah's military wing. He had been involved in recent shooting attacks in the Ramallah area.

In Kafr Dan, near Jenin, yesterday evening, Israel Defense Forces soldiers killed an armed Palestinian, Mohammed Mar'i, a former member of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, who recently announced plans to establish his own armed organization.

IDF forces also arrested 20 wanted Palestinians in the West Bank, three of whom were considered high-level targets. One, Rabia Abu Layl, is a Fatah operative thought to have been involved in shooting attacks that killed three soldiers in the Nablus area. Another, Jamal Tirawi, also of Fatah, is suspected of sending suicide bombers into Israel and has been on Israel's wanted list for years. Last year, he was elected to the Palestinian parliament. The third was Mohammed Sharia, who heads Hamas' military wing in the Balata refugee camp.