The Islamist group Hamas defended on Friday a suicide bombing that killed four Israelis as “resistance” against Israeli “crimes,” putting it at odds with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who condemned the attack. Hours after the bombing, Israeli warplanes and artillery struck the Gaza Strip, though no casualties were reported. A car explosion in Gaza later killed a top leader of the Popular Resistance Committees, a group that frequently fires rockets into Israel. The army, which often targets Palestinian militants in airstrikes, denied involvement in the blast. Full Story