( RIA Novosti ) - Israeli troops killed two members of the Islamist group Hamas in a night clash in the north of the Gaza Strip, local radio said Monday.
The two fighters killed belonged to Hamas' military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since overthrowing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah in a violent coup in June.
Palestinians claimed that the incident occurred during a raid by Israeli special forces at a key crossing on the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
However, Israeli military said they opened fire when the Palestinian gunmen attacked soldiers at the border fence.
Last week 11 Palestinians were killed and more than 20 wounded in two separate Israeli air strikes and a tank-led ground operation by Israeli forces in north Gaza.
The Israeli air strikes came in response to five rockets launched by Palestinian fighters at southern Israel from Gaza.
September saw a sharp rise in Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, including a Qassam rocket attack on the Zikim military training base on September 11 that injured around 70 conscripts.