GAZA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Two Palestinians were killed later on Saturday in Israeli artillery fire in east Gaza strip, according to Palestinian medical sources.

Medical crews found two bodies of 17-year-old men, who were killed by Israeli firing last night.

The bodies were carried to a hospital in Rafah in southern Gaza, Gaza's Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qadra said in a brief statement.

According to Palestinian eye witnesses, the two were killed by shots near the border.

Their death comes after Israel launched a series of air strikes on Hamas in Gaza, before which explosive device reportedly wounded four soldiers and a projectile from Gaza hit an Israeli border town.

Israeli army said in a statement that four soldiers on patrol were wounded on Saturday when an explosive device went off near the southern Israel's border with Gaza.

Israel's Hamas targets included observation posts, an attack tunnel and Hamas weapons factories, the army said.