Jerusalem: Four Israeli children and their mother were killed when alleged Palestinian gunmen attacked their vehicle near the entrance of a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Army said.

The two attackers were also killed.

Two Palestinians fired at the vehicle and used explosive devices at the entrance to the Gaza Strip settlement bloc of Gush Katif as the ruling Likud Party was holding a referendum on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to pull out of Gaza.

Security forces chased the militants and killed the two, Israeli Radio said.

Settlement leader Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said the dead were Gush Katif residents, a settlement where some 70,000 Israelis gathered last week to express solidarity with the settlers before today's Likud Party referendum.

Islamic Jihad and Popular Resistance Committee claimed responsibility for the attack in calls to media organisations.