HIGHLIGHTS: Al-Aqsa Brigades Claims Responsibility||Occupation Army Imposes Curfew on the Village of Yata Near Hebron Where Palestinian Attackers Apparently Came From|| ||Hamas Appoints Successor to Salah Shehada But Reuses to Name its New Military Commander|| STORY: Palestinian Resistance men killed four people, including a Jewish settler couple and their child, in an attack on two Israeli vehicles at a road junction in the West Bank on Friday. (Read photo caption)

The attack raised fears of a new surge of violence in the Middle East conflict after an Israeli air strike that killed 15 Palestinians in Gaza City on Tuesday, including nine children and a top Hamas Resistance leader, and drew vows of revenge from Resistance groups.

A police spokesman said the Resistance men opened fire at the two vehicles at the Zif junction south of the West Bank city of Hebron shortly before the start of the Jewish Sabbath at sunset. They fled in their car and the army launched a manhunt.

AQSA BRIGADES CLAIMS RESPONSIBILTY

There was no immediate comment by the Palestinians. But Abu Dhabi Television said it had received a claim of responsibility from al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an armed group with links to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.

Resistance men have often attacked Jewish settlers in a Palestinian uprising for independence in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, which erupted in September 2000 after peace talks stalled. The settlers living in settlements in clear violation of international are considered legitimate targets by the Palestinians.

CURFEW IMPOSED ON THE VILLAGE OF YATA NEAR HEBRON

The occupation army announced it was imposing a curfew on the village of Yata, near Hebron. Occupation army sources say the attackers apparently came out of Yata earlier, and fled there after having carried out the attack. The occupation army was searching for the attackers with helicopters.

HAMAS APPOINTS SHEHADA'S SUCCESSOR

Earlier on Friday, the Israeli occupation army blew up buildings in Gaza City it said Palestinians had used as rockets factories.

Palestinian security officials said four Palestinians were wounded in the three-hour raid, Israel's first in the area since Tuesday's air strike, which was condemned abroad and drew a rare rebuke from Israel's ally, the United States.

Thousands of Palestinians have meanwhile marched through the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza on Friday in support of a new commander to succeed Shehada as head of Hamas's military wing.

"We hope that God blesses you and gives you the power to avenge us very soon," Hamas official Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi said at the rally. He did not identify the new leader.

PHOTO CAPTION

A Hamas flag flies over Hamas supporters as they chant anti-Israeli and anti-U.S. slogans while taking to the streets of the Jabalya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, July 26, 2002. The militant Islamic group Hamas has vowed to avenge Israel's killing of the commander of its military wing and 14 other Palestinians, including nine children, in a missile strike in the heart of Gaza City. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah
- Jul 25 9:00 PM ET