Hamas has said it had engaged what it described as an armoured force infiltrating a southern area of Gaza and had destroyed some Israeli military equipment. There was no Israeli comment on such losses, Reuters reports.

Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement:“Fighters engaged with the infiltrating force, destroying two bulldozers and a tank and forced the force to withdraw, before they returned safely to base.”