Gaza: Three Palestinian militants were injured and three more missing in fighting with Israeli forces on Monday in a southern area of this coastal territory, Islamic groups said.

The fighting included an airstrike in which three Hamas members were injured, one critically, Hamas said. Islamic Jihad said it lost contact with three of its fighters when troops fired at them after they planted explosives along the fence with Israel.

Israel's army did not immediately confirm an airstrike but said troops who crossed into Gaza identified hitting militants who were planting explosives.

The condition of the Islamic Jihad gunmen was not yet known since Israeli troops did not allow ambulances to the area, Islamic Jihad said.