Palestinians killed and Israeli soldiers injured in Gaza flare up

Five Palestinians have been killed and more than 20 injured in a series of clashes near the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Four died when Israel open fired, in retaliation for a missile attack that targeted an army patrol jeep and injured four Israeli soldiers.

Hamas officials later said the casualties caused by the retaliatory shooting were civilians attending a funeral in the Shijaia neighbourhood near Gaza City.

In a later incident, Islamic Jihad also claimed that one of its members was killed by an Israeli air strike.

In reaction Israel confirmed it launched the attack, late on Saturday evening, insisting that the attack was provoked by more rockets being fired from Gaza.

"A short while ago, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeted a rocket-launching squad in the northern Gaza Strip moments after it fired rockets towards southern Israel. A direct hit was confirmed," an Israeli military statement said.

"Over the past few hours, 25 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip hit southern Israel," the statement added.

It is the latest in a spate of violence between Israel and militants in Gaza.

A 13-year-old Palestinian boy was killed as militants clashed with Israeli soldiers in Gaza on Thursday, while an Israeli soldier was hurt when a tunnel blew up near the Gaza border fence.

Earlier this week, three Israeli soldiers on patrol along the border fence were also wounded by a bomb explosion.