Israeli troops kill 5 Palestinians in Gaza clashes

Israeli troops killed three Palestinian gunmen and two civilians on Thursday during a raid into the Gaza Strip, the army and hospital officials said.

An army spokeswoman said troops searching for militants who fire rockets into Israel came under attack by armed Palestinians east of the town of Khan Younis, near the Hamas-ruled territory's border. The soldiers shot two gunmen dead.

Palestinian medical officials were not immediately allowed to approach and identify the bodies.

In a separate incident, witnesses said an Israeli tank fired a shell at a home near Khan Younis, killing two women occupants and a gunman who was outside the building. The Islamic Jihad militant group claimed the slain fighter as its own.

The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the shelling.

Hospital officials said at least 16 Palestinians were wounded in the clashes, mostly gunmen.

The Islamist Hamas group, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in June by routing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's forces, said several of its fighters were among the casualties.

Israel often carries out air strikes and raids in the coastal territory to try to prevent militants firing rockets at southern parts of the Jewish state.