29 Aug 2010 Gaza - A Palestinian militant was killed and an Israeli soldier suffered minor wounds during clashes Monday night near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, witnesses said.

The witnesses said that Bassam al-Daghma, 22, a member of the armed wing of the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad organization, was killed during clashes with an Israeli army force at the Gaza Strip's south More..- east border.

Al-Daghma was shot and left bleeding for several hours until he died, said the witnesses, adding that Israeli soldiers blocked ambulances from reaching the site.

Islamic Jihad militants reportedly fired a homemade projectile at the Israeli force, which was patrolling the fence. The soldiers returned fire, and al-Daghma was shot.

An Israeli army spokesman said that the force spotted a group of suspected militants trying to approach the fence to plant a bomb along the border. The spokesman confirmed the clash and the death of one militant.

The spokesman said that an Israeli soldied suffered a minor injury when a Palestinian gunman opened fire on another Israeli unit east of the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israel has been carrying out brief ground operations inside Gaza borders, which the Israeli military says is intended to to prevent Gaza militants from launching attacks against Israel.