GAZA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian militant was killed at predawn Saturday after an Israeli army helicopter targeted a group of Palestinian militants in the east of Gaza City, security sources and witnesses reported.

    The sources said that two militants approached the border fence between eastern Gaza City and Israel, trying to attack an Israeli army force there, where an Israeli helicopter fired at them about five air-to-ground rockets.

    The sources added that one was killed and the other managed to escape from the area.

    The killed was identified as Nabil Ma'roof, 22, member of the Brigades of national resistance, the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), according to the sources.

    The one who escaped is a member of al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), said the sources.

    Eyewitnesses living in the area said they heard the buzz of the helicopter hovering over the area before they heard five huge explosions. A Palestinian ambulance was called to take the body of Ma'roof to hospital.

    Meanwhile, Mohamed Abdelal, better known as Abu Abeer, spokesman of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) said that armed clashes had erupted between a group of militants and Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza Strip.

    He added that a joint force of his group and Islamic Hamas movement's armed wing clashed for more than an hour with an Israeli army force near the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. No injuries were reported.