GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip ? The militant Islamic Jihad said Friday it would not attack American targets to retaliate for the U.S. arrest of four alleged members and the indictment of four others on terrorism-related charges.

Abdallah Shami, the Gaza leader of the Palestinian group, condemned the arrests but said Islamic Jihad would continue to focus on its fight against Israel.

“We are not going to open any new fronts,” Shami said.

Earlier Friday, Israeli troops killed two Islamic Jihad members who attacked a Jewish settlement and an army post in Gaza.

In the West Bank, near the town of Tulkarem, Israeli soldiers shot and killed an unidentified Palestinian who they said was running toward an army checkpoint and failed to stop after repeated calls and warning shots, an army spokeswoman said.

Palestinian boys carrying fake assault rifles and wearing the headband of Islamic Jihad stand on stage during a rally in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. The rally Friday came a day after Palestinian Sami Al-Arian, a resident of Florida since 1975, was arrested on charges of supporting terrorism, for allegedly raising funds for Islamic Jihad.

A 50-count indictment was unsealed Thursday in Washington against eight alleged members of Islamic Jihad, including computer engineering professor Sami Al-Arian, the alleged U.S. leader of the group who is on paid leave from the University of South Florida.

Another Islamic Jihad leader, Khaled Batsh, said that all the men indicted, except Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Shallah, “either left the movement or the movement froze their membership more than 10 years ago.”

The indictment says Al-Arian directed the audit of all the group’s money and property throughout the world from his home and workplace in Tampa. Al-Arian has denied he has ties to terrorism.

Shami, in a speech to about 800 supporters in Gaza City, dismissed the U.S. indictment as “a big lie” but not a provocation for attacking U.S. interests.

“We raise our voice in protesting this American measure but our operations will continue against the Israeli occupation only,” he said.