Israeli forces killed a Hamas gunman and wounded four others in two incidents in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, Palestinian officials said, according to Reuters.

Direct confrontations between Israel and Gaza's governing Islamists have been rare since their 2008-2009 war, though fighting with smaller Palestinian factions has persisted. A flare-up last month killed nine Gazans, including Hamas members, and prompted neighboring Egypt to broker a ceasefire.

In Gaza City, an Israeli air strike killed a Hamas gunman and wounded a comrade, the faction said. The Israeli military said the man targeted had been preparing to fire a short-range rocket into Israel.

Separately, Israeli troops shelled a vehicle in the eastern Gaza Strip, wounding three Palestinians who medics identified as fighters. The army said the Palestinians were trying to launch an anti-tank missile at one of its border patrols.