The Israeli army said it killed four Palestinian gunmen at the Gaza Strip border.

The military said on Twitter that the gunmen had approached the tightly secured border fence to Israel on Saturday.

The Israeli soldiers reportedly opened fire after one of the men crossed the border fence.

The army said that the Palestinians were armed with Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifles, bazookas and hand grenades.

During the incident, a hand grenade was thrown at the soldiers, but there were no injuries on the Israeli side, the army added.

The incident took place on the border with the southern part of Gaza.

Twelve years ago, Israel tightened a blockade on the Palestinian coastal area, a blockade which is now also supported by Egypt.

Both countries justify the measure with security interests.

The EU, Israel and the U.S. classify Hamas, which governs in Gaza, as a terrorist organization.

Hamas violently seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 and insists on the destruction of Israel.

Under the mediation of Egypt, however, Israel and Hamas recently agreed to a ceasefire.

In protests against the blockade, more than 300 Palestinians have been killed and thousands more injured since the end of March 2018, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Around 2 million people live in difficult conditions in the coastal strip. (dpa/NAN)

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(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)