GAZA, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Israeli troops killed two Palestinian gunmen on Thursday during a raid into the Gaza Strip to root out militants who fire rockets at the Jewish state, the Israeli military said.

A military spokeswoman said the troops had come under attack by armed Palestinians east of the town of Khan Younis, near the Hamas-ruled territory's border with Israel.

Palestinian medical officials were not immediately allowed to approach and identify the bodies.

The Islamist Hamas group, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in June by routing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's forces, said several of its fighters were wounded in clashes with Israeli troops.

Israel often carries out air strikes and raids in the coastal territory to try and stop militants from firing rockets at southern parts of the Jewish state.

(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Ralph Gowling)

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