GAZA, Aug 22 (Reuters) - An Israeli air strike killed at least one Hamas militant in the Gaza Strip near the border fence with Israel on Wednesday, the Islamist group and local residents said.

An Israeli army spokesman said there had been an air attack on a group of Palestinian militants in the border area. "We fired on them and reported hitting them," he said.

Hamas said its fighters were looking out for Israeli military movements near the fence when they came under attack.

On Tuesday, Israeli missiles killed three Palestinian militants and two young boys in Gaza, ratcheting up tensions two months after Hamas seized control of the coastal territory.

Six Hamas militants were killed in an Israeli missile strike on Monday.

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