Two Hamas men killed in Israeli air strike

An Israeli air strike killed two Hamas men in Gaza late on Tuesday, a Palestinian health official said.

In a statement, the Israeli military said the the target were men firing rockets.

The two men were wearing the uniforms of Hamas security officials who patrol the Gaza border to prevent rocket fire by other militant groups.

The air strike came on the same day that the emir of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani became the first head of state to visit the Gaza Strip since Hamas militants seized the territory five years ago.

He announced almost half a billion US dollars in aid and in doing so gave unprecedented political recognition on the Islamic militant group.

The landmark visit highlighted the tumultuous changes that have swept the region during the Arab Spring events over the past two years, pushing once-shunned Islamic movements to the forefront of Mideast politics.

Qatar, an oil-rich Gulf state, has encouraged these changes by backing efforts for the ouster of secular regimes.

The emir, who has long sought a role in Palestinian politics, appeared to be seizing an opportunity created by Hamas' break in recent months with its ally Syria.

In return for Tuesday's stamp of recognition, the emir may use his leverage to lure Hamas hardliners in Gaza away from their long-time patron Iran, the regional rival of Qatar and other Sunni Muslim-led states.

The arrival of gave Hamas its biggest diplomatic victory yet since violently taking control of Gaza in June 2007 from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Repeated attempts to reconcile, including a Qatari-brokered deal early this year, have failed.

Abbas now governs in the West Bank.