Two Palestinian operatives affiliated to Hamas’ armed Al-Qassam Brigades were killed and four others injured in a home-explosion near the Karni border crossing with Israel on Tuesday, local sources reported.

The home, in the Ash-Shuja’iyya neighborhood of Gaza City, was destroyed, though it was unclear what caused the explosion. The two killed were identified as Ahmad Abu Ghaniyya and Muhammad Nawati, according to the director of the ambulance and emergency services in Gaza, Muawiyah Hassanein.

Hassanein added that the four other injured Palestinians were treated at the Ash-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

According to the Al-Qassam Brigades' website, an official communiqué was issued by the paramilitary group on Tuesday morning saying the party "Mourned .... two of her field leaders who were martyred while performing a jihadi task in the Ash-Shuja'iyya neighborhood east of Gaza City," adding that, "the two leaders were martyred after a long path of jihad and sacrifice for the sake of their beloved Palestine."

Israeli sources said the explosion was unrelated to airstrikes launched on Gaza overnight.