An explosion in the Gaza Strip killed five Hamas gunmen on Saturday, Palestinian officials and residents said, adding the cause of the blast was unclear.
Hamas's armed wing released a statement not long after blaming Israel for the explosion. The Israeli military denied any involvement. "The IDF [Israel Defence Force] is not involved in this incident in any way," a military spokesman said.
Gaza's health ministry initially confirmed five people were killed and three others wounded in what residents said had appeared to be an accidental explosion in the Zawayda area of the central Gaza Strip.
The blast comes after weeks of deadly protests and clashes along the border between Gaza and Israel, but there was no indication the explosion was the result of an Israeli strike.
An Israeli military spokeswoman had said she was not aware of the incident.
Authorities in Gaza, run by Islamist movement Hamas, had not provided any further details on the blast.
Some explosions in the past in the Gaza Strip have resulted from the accidental detonation of explosive materials belonging to militant groups.
Anadolu Agency
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.