Clashes along Israel-Gaza fence

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Israeli troops have clashed with Palestinian gunmen along Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military has said.

Palestinian sources say one Palestinian was killed and four injured.

Israel says its troops identified a group of gunmen trying to place explosives on the security fence that separates betweens Gaza and Israel.

The officials said the gunmen had opened fire as the patrol approached, and soldiers had returned fire.

The clash comes as a five-month truce between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza is looking more and more shaky.

Clashes, an Israeli airstrike and Palestinian rocket fire broke out on 4 November. These have continued since at relatively low levels, though Israel and Hamas officials say they are committed to maintaining the truce.

Hajj visa row

Meanwhile, the Hamas authorities in control of the Gaza Strip have threatened to prevent Muslim pilgrims leaving Gaza to attend the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, unless a dispute over visas is resolved.

Egypt has said it will only allow pilgrims to enter its territory from Gaza if their Saudi visa applications are submitted through the Palestinian Authority.

Since Hamas took over Gaza by force last year, the Palestinian Authority's remit runs only in the parts of the West Bank.

Hamas says it has submitted its own lists of pilgrims to the Saudi authorities for visa approval but Egypt has refused to recognise them.