"Hamas' leadership has taken the strategic decision to scuttle the implementation of the roadmap and destroy any opening for dialogue which might end terrorism and restart political negotiations," the Israeli army said in a statement entitled "Attack against a senior Hamas official."

Israeli helicopters fired several missiles on Rantissi's car in a mid-morning strike in Gaza City that killed three Palestinians and wounded more than 20 people.

"Before and after the Aqaba summit, Hamas initiated a wave of bloody terror attacks, including last Sunday's against an army position in the industrial area of Erez which killed four soldiers and wounded four," the statement said.

"Moreover, Hamas announced its intention to continue suicide operations in order to sabotage the political process by creating a united front with Palestinian terrorist organisations and with the cooperation of terrorist organisations in Lebanon and Syria as well as of international terrorist organisations," it added.

An attack by three gunmen on a military post at the Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza on Sunday was claimed in an unprecedented joint statement by the armed wings of Islamic radical groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad as well as a military offshoot of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah party.

According to the Israeli army, Hamas has carried out 72 attacks since the beginning of the intifada in September 2000, killing 227 Israelis and wounding

"Tsahal (the Israeli army), follows orders by the political leadership and does everything it can to ensure the security of Israeli citizens and foil terrorist operations," the statement added.

Justice Minister Tommy Lapid earlier argued that "all efforts by Israel to eliminate terrorist leaders are justified".

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