Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and two bystanders in a Gaza Strip raid that sparked clashes with gunmen.
A senior member of the Islamic militant Hamas group and his mother were said to have been among the five killed in the predawn raid on Abassan village. No further details were immediately available on the other three.
Medics said at least 10 other Palestinians were wounded in the raid.
An army spokeswoman merely confirmed that one Palestinian was killed in a raid in the Gaza Strip.
She said troops had mounted a predawn operation to arrest a Hamas militant on the outskirts of bustling Khan Younis refugee camp. The Palestinian fled into nearby Abassan village, and troops gave chase.
'When he ignored orders to stop, he was shot, and blew up. He may have been wearing a bomb belt,' she said.
In Abassan, troops were reported to have exchanged fire with militants, but the army spokeswoman said there were no Israeli casualties.
