Israeli forces opened fire at a group of Palestinian gunmen as they tried to cross the Gaza border, the military said on Sunday and Palestinian health officials said three of the men were killed.
"A short while ago, IDF (Israel Defence Forces) troops spotted a number of armed suspects adjacent to the security fence in the northern Gaza Strip. An IDF attack helicopter and a tank fired towards them," the military said in a statement.
Palestinian medics said they retrieved three bodies from the site and Gaza hospital officials said a fourth man was injured.
Gaza is ruled by Hamas, which has fought three wars with Israel over the past decade. Israel pulled its troops and settlers from the territory in 2005 but keeps the enclave under a blockade. Tensions along the border are high with frequent fatalities. 
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