Israeli killed in Gaza border clash
An Israeli soldier and a Palestinian are reported to have been killed in a clash along the border with the Gaza Strip.
An Arab television station reported that the soldier was killed when his patrol was hit by Tuesday's explosion.
At least three other Israeli soldiers were wounded by the blast, which occured near the Kissufim crossing.
The Israeli military said the blast targeted a patrol near the Kissufim border crossing into Gaza but would not confirm the casualties.
The Palestinian man was killed when a shell hit a group of Israeli troops, Al Jazeera reported.
Tamer Mishal, Al Jazeera's correspondent, reporting from Gaza, said an anti-armour shell was fired from inside the territory at an Israeli tank near the area of Khan Younis.
"Witnesses told Al Jazeera that the grenade directly hit an Israeli jeep," he said.
"Palestinian residents reported the sound of gunfire and Israeli helicopters in the area."
Exchange of fire
The residents of Kissufim said the army patrol and Palestinian fighters exchanged fire shortly after the blast.
Local residents said the Palestinian killed was a farmer caught in the crossfire.
No Palestinian group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent, reporting from Gaza, said the Israeli military have not disclosed what the cause of the explosion was.
"The likely scenario is that an improvised explosion device of some sort was under that patrol as it was driving and detonated ... but some reports suggest it was a mortar round that was used against the patrol," he said.
"We are not sure if it was remotely detonated or if a pressure sensor caused it to trigger, but we do know that as a result of that explosion one Israeli solder was killed and three are in a critical state of injury.
"Immediately after a large blast of gunfire was heard in the area, there were several farmers out on their land, and we understand that one Palestinian farmer was killed."
Fragile ceasefire
It is the first apparent breach of a January 18 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza.
Israeli troops withdrew from Gaza last week after a three-week offensive whose stated aim was to stop Palestinian rocket fire into southern Israel.
Egyptian mediators have been meeting separately with Israel and Hamas to negotiate a more permanent ceasefire.
Hamas's demand
Hamas wants the border crossings into Gaza re-opened, including the Rafah crossing into Egypt, to end the Israeli blockade in the territory.
Israel wants to stop the rocket fire and prevent Hamas fighters from using smuggling tunnels under the border with Egypt to re-arm themselves with weapons.
Barack Obama, the US president, has sent George Mitchell, his newly appointed Middle East envoy, to the region to discuss the ceasefire efforts.
Obama instructed Mitchell, who played a prominent role in the Northern Ireland peace process, to "engage vigorously" to achieve real progress between Israel and the Palestinians.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/mi...409160693.html