Palestinian killed in Israeli airstrikes as Gaza violence flares

The Gazan health ministry reported one person killed and several wounded, though no casualties had been reported on the Israeli side.

Israeli authorities said airstrikes targeted two rocket launchers in Gaza and its tanks hit a number of military posts used by Hamas, noting it had intercepted rockets fired from the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was planning to hold consultations with security chiefs, a spokesman said.

The escalation follows the most violent clashes along the Gaza border in weeks on Friday.

Four Palestinians, including two Hamas militants, were killed after two Israeli soldiers were wounded in a shooting during weekly protests on the border.

Palestinian media reported that children, a journalist and three medics were injured by Israeli forces during the demonstration.

Israel and Palestinian militants in the blockaded Gaza Strip have fought three wars since 2008 and fears remain of a fourth.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brokered by Egypt and the United Nations had led to relative calm around Israel's April 9 general election.

But on Tuesday, Israel reduced the offshore fishing limit it imposes for vessels operating out of Gaza after a rocket was fired from the territory by Palestinian militants.

The rocket, which Israel blamed on Hamas ally Islamic Jihad, fell into the Mediterranean. 

On Thursday, Israel said its aircraft struck a Hamas military compound after balloons carrying firebombs and explosives were launched across the border.

Palestinians in Gaza have frequently fitted balloons with firebombs in a bid to damage Israeli property and have in the past succeeded in setting fire to large areas of farmland.

Following the airstrike, the Israeli military said two rockets were launched from Gaza toward Israel, setting off sirens in parts of the south.

With the ceasefire at risk, a Hamas delegation led by its Gaza head Yahya Sinwar left the enclave for Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian officials on the truce.

The ceasefire has seen Israel allow Qatar provide millions of dollars in aid to Gaza to pay salaries and to finance fuel purchases to ease a severe electricity shortage.

Palestinians have participated in regular demonstrations and clashes along the Gaza border for more than a year, calling on Israel to ease its crippling blockade of the enclave. 

At least 270 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began in March 2018, the majority along the border.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed in that period.

The results of a UN investigation released at the end of February found that Israel committed crimes against humanity in responding to the border protests, as snipers "intentionally" shot civilians including children, journalists and the disabled. 

Israel rejected the report "outright" but Hamas called for Israel to be held accountable.

Agencies contributed to this report.

Follow us on Twitter: @The_NewArab