Israeli forces exchanged fire with Palestinian gunmen in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip today in the second violent incident this week to erode a truce announced in June.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said troops were shot at as they detonated two explosive devices planted by militants on the Gaza side of a border fence. No one was wounded in the gunfight, she said.
Hamas sources and medical workers said Palestinian ambulances rushed to the area near the town of Khan Younis where Israeli troops had entered, drawing fire from Islamist Hamas gunmen deployed in the area and responding with gunfire.
Later today an Israeli air strike destroyed a rocket launcher set to fire at Israel from the northern Gaza Strip, the army spokeswoman said. Local residents said the launcher was set to go off remotely and no one was wounded.
Gaza militants have fired more than 50 cross-border rockets since Israel killed six Hamas gunmen in air raids and a ground strike on Tuesday. The renewed violence has shaken an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire which took effect in June.
Reuters