Four Palestinians have been killed during an incursion by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military claimed its forces were searching for tunnels in southern Gaza used by Palestinian militants to smuggle in weapons from Egypt.
Tanks took up positions outside the main gate of the Rafah border terminal and while the road leading up to the facility was excavated.
But the Israeli forces did not enter the border crossing, which has been open only sporadically since ground operations were resumed following the capture of an Israeli soldier in June.
Although under Palestinian control with EU monitors, Israel has effective power to shut the crossing by cutting off access roads inside Israeli territory used by the European staff.
Hamas said the deployment around the Rafah crossing, Gaza's only link to the outside world that does not pass through Israel, was tantamount to Israeli reoccupation of the border area.
Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip last year. Over the past week, Israel has intensified its offensive, which it says is aimed at keeping pressure on militant groups, curtailing rocket attacks and finding cross-border tunnels.
