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STORY: A Hamas militant was killed and another critically wounded by Israeli tank fire in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday (October 31), medical sources said.

Clashes broke out in the area after a number of Israeli tanks crossed the border fence into the Gaza Strip in an area close to where Israel earlier in October uncovered a tunnel that militants had dug under the border, a Hamas source said.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said forces were carrying out "a pinpoint action" in the area of the tunnel in the Gaza Strip but did not have further details.

Hamas said the Israeli tanks had entered the Gaza side of the border and had remained there for several hours and clashes erupted as militants fired mortar shells at the tanks. It added that an Israeli helicopter had also fired a rocket in the area.

Medics said that the Hamas militant killed was 23-year-old Rabe Barakeh from Gaza strip.

Hamas seized control of the G