Israeli army shoots down drone that crossed from Gaza

Israel's military says it has shot down a drone that crossed into its territory from the Gaza Strip.

The military says it recovered the downed drone and took it in for examination on Monday.

There was no comment from Gaza.

Hamas, which runs the besieged Gaza Strip, is thought to have developed a drone program with Iranian help.

The drones are typically used for reconnaissance along the Israeli-Gaza border and it's unclear if they have potential to carry out attacks.

The incident comes amid low-level tensions along the border as Israel and Gaza are still trying to maintain an informal long-term truce between them.

Recent protests have included Palestinian youths launching incendiary balloons toward Israeli farmland.

Others have approached the heavily guarded fence at several locations and clashed with Israeli troops.

Israeli forces have killed more than 293 Palestinians in Gaza since protests began in March 2018.

In 2007, Israel imposed a land, sea and air blockade on the strip, effectively turning the coastal enclave into an open-air prison, where basic necessities such as food, fuel and medicines are severely controlled.

Critics say the blockade amounts to collective punishment of the coastal enclave's two million residents.