Israel on Friday launched an airstrike on the southern Gaza Strip that killed a Palestinian, hours after a Hamas official said the movement accepted an Egyptian-brokered truce for the war-ravaged territory, with a formal announcement to be made soon.

Palestinian medics said an activist was killed and three more people were wounded in the raid near Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. The raid targeted two members of the Popular Resistance Committees armed group, witnesses said.

Witnesses said airstrikes also targeted tunnels along the border with Egypt, which Israel claims are used by Palestinian armed groups to smuggle in weapons.

Earlier on Friday, Gaza activists fired two rockets into southern Israel, causing no casualties, the Israeli Army said.

A spokesman said the short-range rockets exploded near the southern city of Sderot – a frequent target of attacks from the Hamas-ruled enclave.

There has been sporadic rocket fire and Israeli airstrikes since January 18, when Israel and Hamas declared ceasefires to end a three-week war that killed more than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.

(AFP via the Nation, Pakistan)