Eyewitnesses and medical officials say an Israeli military strike killed two Palestinians and wounded at least seven people Wednesday in the Gaza Strip.
The Islamic Jihad says one of the two killed was a member of the militant group.
At least one child was among those injured.
The Israeli military said its forces opened fire on a group of suspected militants who approached a border fence in northern Gaza.
The military said the soldiers were responding to reports that a rocket launching cell had been spotted in the area.
In April, Israel warned it would increase the use of military force against militants in Gaza unless Palestinians stopped firing rockets across the border.
Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom announced the warning during a radio interview after Israeli warplanes launched a series of strikes against targets in Hamas-ruled Gaza.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
