Hussein al-Jabari, 35, was badly injured early last Wednesday when an Israeli helicopter gunship fired on an area in Gaza City's eastern al-Shijaiya neighbourhood, killing five Hamas members.

Al-Jabari's brother was one of the militants from the radical Islamic movement killed in the strike, security sources said.

The latest death brings the overall toll since the September 2000 start of the Palestinian intifada, or uprising, to 4,245, including 3,247 Palestinians and 927 Israelis, according to an AFP count.

WAR.WIRE