A Palestinian boy sits next to the body of Palestinian militant Taher Easa during his funeral in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 8, 2009.At least four Palestinians were killed Monday morning in clashes with Israeli army in the eastern Gaza city. [Xinhua]

Palestinian carry body of Palestinian militant Taher Easa during his funeral in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 8, 2009.At least four Palestinians were killed Monday morning in clashes with Israeli army in the eastern Gaza city. [Xinhua]

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has confirmed a flare-up of violence along the border with the Gaza Strip on Monday morning, while saying that delivery of Gaza-bound humanitarian aid is still underway.

"A group of Palestinian gunmen opened fire this morning at an IDF force patrolling the Israeli side of the Gaza Strip's security fence, north of the Nahal Oz fuel terminal," said the army in a statement.

"The gunmen arrived near the fence with a number of trucks leading five horses loaded with explosive devices. A few gunmen were wearing explosive belts. They were also planting explosive devices when the incident began," added the IDF.

Israeli troops, with the assistance of combat helicopters, responded with tank and machine gun fire, hitting a few of the gunmen, said the statement, adding that no injuries or damage to IDF forces were reported.

Palestinian sources said that five gunmen were killed in the incident and that a previously unknown Islamist group was believed to be behind the attacks.

The latest clashes marked the first major flare-up along the volatile border since the IDF completed in January a 22-day offensive in Gaza that killed over 1,400 people in the Hamas-controlled strip.

Following the incident, local news service Ynet reported that the Nahal Oz terminal and the Karni border crossing nearby were closed, while the IDF said in the statement that transfer of humanitarian aid to the impoverished enclave continued through other crossings.

Meanwhile, under pressure from the international community, including Israel's closest ally the United States, Israeli officials were expected to meet later this week to discuss easing the blockade of the coastal strip.

(Xinhua News Agency June 9, 2009)