Three Palestinians killed following Israel Gaza artillery strikes

Israeli artillery strikes on Gaza on Wednesday have left three Palestinians dead, the besieged enclave's health ministry told AFP.

The Israeli army said it responded to a Hamas sniper who opened fire on soldiers on the Gaza border.

The airstrikes targeted an area east of Gaza City, a health ministry statement said, but did not give the identities of the three men.

Israel said artillery strikes were launched on seven Hamas military targets in Gaza. 

"A short while ago, terrorists fired at (Israeli) soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip," an army statement said, referring to the militants as terrorists.

"In response... artillery targeted seven military posts in Gaza belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation."

It did not say whether any soldiers were injured in the shootings - the second reported by Israeli in recent days.

On Friday an Israeli soldier was shot dead, which saw a fierce wave of Israeli bombing on Gaza sparking fears of another war between the two sides.

An UN-brokered ceasefire was launched later on Friday, which Israel broke shortly after.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008, the last in 2014, which left at least 2,220 dead the vast majority Palestinian civilians.