For the past two weeks there has been a fragile truce between Hamas, an ally of Islamic Jihad, and Israel -- although the latter reserves the right to defend itself and its forces from militant attacks.

"A short while ago, the IDF (army) conducted a precise strike in the Nuseirat area in the central Gaza Strip targeting a terrorist from the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation who planned to carry out an imminent terrorist attack against IDF troops," the military said.

Inside the Hamas-run territory, the Al-Awda hospital confirmed it had received wounded for treatment after a strike in Nuseirat.

"The hospital has received four injured people following the Israeli occupation's targeting of a civilian car in the Al-Ahli Club area in Nuseirat Camp in central Gaza," the hospital said.

The military said it would continue operations in Gaza "to remove any immediate threat" to its troops.