JERUSALEM, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The Israeli army said on Sunday that 30 of its soldiers have been wounded in the ground offensive it launched in the Gaza Strip.

Issuing its first casualty report since tanks and infantry entered the Hamas-controlled territory on Saturday, the army said two of the 30 wounded had suffered serious injuries.

Palestinian medical officials said Israeli ground forces had killed eight Gazans, five of them gunmen. (Writing by Jeffrey Heller)

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