Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the Gaza Strip’s civil defence agency, told AFP that the Israeli strike “on a group of citizens in the Netzarim area in south Gaza City” resulted in “four martyrs including two brothers”, all men in their 20s.

The Israeli military said that its air forces had struck “several terrorists engaged in suspicious activity posing a threat to IDF troops”.

Israel has carried out near-daily air strikes in Gaza since early March, often targeting what the military said were rebels planting explosive devices.

A fragile truce in its war with Hamas, in effect since Jan 19, has largely held despite the attacks and with no agreement yet on extending the ceasefire.

The first phase of the truce ended in early March, but both Israel and Hamas have refrained from returning to all-out war.

Hamas has repeatedly called for implementing the second phase of the ceasefire, which should lead to a permanent end to the war, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of more hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners.

Israel says it prefers an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire until mid-April.