At least two Palestinians were killed Friday when Israeli warplanes struck Hamas positions in the blockaded Gaza Strip, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

"Two citizens were killed and two others seriously wounded by Israeli occupation forces targeting the central Gaza Strip," the health ministry said.

The strikes occurred following reports that two Israeli soldiers had been injured by gunfire near the Gaza-Israel buffer zone.

"A military force came under fire near the security fence between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip," Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee tweeted.

Two soldiers were injured in the attack near the buffer zone, Adraee added.

Shortly afterward, Israeli warplanes struck several Hamas positions in Gaza, while farmland in the central Gaza Strip came under Israeli tank-fire, according to witnesses.