At least nine Palestinians were killed and 13 others wounded in two Israeli air strikes that targeted a van traveling in eastern Gaza Strip Tuesday noon, witnesses and medics said.

An Islamic Jihad (Holy War) spokesman known as Abu Ahmed said that the Palestinians killed in the air strikes are nine, five of them are members of Jihad's armed wing al-Quds Brigades.

Joma's al-Saqqa and Baker Abu Safeya, two doctors at Shiffa Hospital emergency room confirmed to Xinhua that nine Palestinians were killed and 13 wounded in the air strike.

Medical sources added that at least four killed are members in the Islamic Jihad armed wing and two are children.

Witnesses and security sources said that an Israeli army reconnaissance drone fired one missile at the van and all the Islamic Jihad militants inside were killed.

Dozens of people, bystanders and civilians gathered around the car, where another rocket was fired, which caused the increase of the casualties, they said, adding that six people were killed in this first air strike.

Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said that another three militants were killed in another air strike that targeted their car which drove near Jabalia in northern Gaza Strip.

Israel decided to intensify air strikes on Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip who insist to continue firing homemade rockets from Gaza at southern Israel.

Editor: Yan