The quartet of Middle East mediators struggles to patch up its road map to peace on Tuesday after a US policy shift and a setback for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to pull out of Gaza.

Senior officials of the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations meet in New York with their peace map in shreds - torn apart by the rejection by Sharon's Likud Party of a Gaza withdrawal and a major Bush administration policy change that infuriated Arab leaders but failed to reinvigorate the peace process.

Also dashing the quartet's hopes in recent weeks have been continuing Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets and high-profile Israeli military actions in Gaza including the assassination of two leaders of the Hamas militant group.

UN Secretary General Kofi

Annan is hosting Tuesday's gathering of Secretary of State Colin Powell, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, EU external relations chief Chris Patten and Foreign Minister Brian Cowan of Ireland, the current EU president.

AFP adds: Two Palestinian militants were killed and 23 injured when Israeli forces raided a southern Gaza Strip town overnight, Palestinian security sources said yesterday, adding that troops also demolished 20 houses.

Billel Mohammed Hamdan, 23, and Jamil Abu Mustapha, 18, both members of the radical Hamas movement, were killed in clashes with Israeli troops, who entered the town of Khan Yunis with around a dozen armoured vehicles, backed by two helicopters. Hospital sources said at least two of the injured Palestinians were in serious condition.