Israeli convoy attacked in Gaza

A car bomb has exploded near an Israeli convoy in the border zone between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

The car reportedly stopped near a bus full of Israelis heading to work at the Rafah border crossing and a gunman got out and began firing at the bus.

The car then exploded, killing the driver and injuring two soldiers.

Clashes are common along the border near Rafah, which was the target of a major Israeli raid last week that left about 40 Palestinian people dead.

Three armed factions claimed joint responsibility for the attack - Islamic Jihad, al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC).

A PRC spokesman called it a "response to Israeli massacres in Rafah".

Israel said the recent incursion was aimed at eliminating militant groups and destroying tunnels said to be used for weapons smuggling from Egypt.

In a separate incident, a Palestinian civilian passer-by was shot dead near a military post in central Gaza. The Israeli army had no immediate comment.