Israeli troops have killed a Hamas fighter and wounded three others during an incursion into the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics have said.

According to an Israeli military spokesman, the troops were operating close to the border on Thursday "after the discovery of a tunnel aimed at abducting soldiers".

Palestinian residents in the area of the al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza reported seeing Israeli soldiers about 300 metres inside Gaza.

"Qassam fighters are engaging in violent armed clashes with a Zionist [Israeli] force that raided east of central Gaza Strip," a Hamas staement said.

It was the first reported armed clash between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters since a June 19 ceasefire.
      
Local residents also reported hearing shots fired from Israeli positions on the Israeli side of the border fence and the buzz of unmanned drones overhead.
   
Witnesses said Hamas fighters had responded by firing at the troops, and that one of the Israeli drones fired a missile into the area where the firing had occurred.