Two Palestinians killed in Gaza

One of the killed comes from a family that support the Islamic Jihad militant group

Israeli troops have shot and killed two Palestinians near a barrier separating the Gaza Strip from Israel.

Israel has banned unauthorised entry to the immediate border zone.

Though the two men were unarmed, Israel says they were carrying binoculars and mobile phones that could have been used in the planning of an attack.

Palestinians, however, point out that the Israelis have previously fired on people who have strayed into the border zone.

Search continues

An Israeli army source said their troops had opened fire when the two Palestinians were less than 200 metres away from a banned zone near the Israel village of Nahal Oz.

Palestinian hospital officials identified one of the dead as Ashraf al-Imbayed, 25, a member of a family known for its support of the militant group Islamic Jihad, the Associated Press reports.

The Israeli army said its soldiers were continuing their search in the area around Nahal Oz after receiving warnings of planned militant attacks.

But the Palestinians say that militants are not the only target of the Israeli army.

They say farmers who have wandered into the area have also been fired on.