GAZA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian during a raid in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, Palestinian hospital workers said.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said troops operating against "terror threats" shot a gunman. Local residents said Israeli troops and tanks raided an area about 2 km (1 mile) inside the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces pulled out of the Gaza Strip in 2005 but mount frequent incursions to strike at militants who fire rockets and mortar bombs into southern Israel.

In a separate incident on Wednesday, a Palestinian was killed in the southern Gaza town of Rafah when an anti-tank rocket he was handling exploded, medical officials said.

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