Israeli troops kill Gaza militant, say medics

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli troops killed at least one Palestinian militant in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Friday, Hamas and local medical staff said.

The Islamist Hamas group, which seized control of the coastal territory in June by routing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's forces, said the militant was killed in a clash with Israeli troops near the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said troops operating near the border between the Jewish state and the Gaza Strip shot at a gunman and identified hitting him.

On Thursday, witnesses and hospital officials said Israel killed at least four Palestinian gunmen and five civilians in air and ground strikes in the Gaza Strip.

Israel often carries out air strikes and raids in the Gaza Strip to try and stop militants from firing rockets at southern parts of the Jewish state.

(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Avida Landau; Editing by Ralph Gowling)