Those killed were members of the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam brigades, a militant wing of hard-line Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Palestinian enclave. A total of 14 Palestinians, mostly Hamas militants, have been killed by Israeli forces in the past 24 hours.
Violence continues to spiral in the enclave despite a decision by the Israeli government to consider an Egyptian-mediated truce with Hamas.
Local health officials said on Thursday that at least three Palestinians including two children were killed and 40 injured when a two-storey house exploded in northern Gaza.
Hamas said the house belonged to one of the group's commanders, and blamed the blast on an Israeli airstrike. Israel denied responsibility.
On Wednesday the Israeli Cabinet discussed a possible ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tel Aviv would continue to draw up plans for a ground operation in Gaza in case the truce fails.
