GAZA -- Overnight fighting at a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip killed one Israeli soldier and injured two others, Israeli media reported Thursday.

The exchange began about 3 a.m. when Israeli soldiers approached the el-Bureij camp as part of a search for terror suspects and to locate suspected smuggling tunnels, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Militants reportedly approached the soldiers and attacks with guns and grenades, Israel's Channel 2 said.

Hamas officials said two Palestinian gunmen were injured, one seriously.

Soon after, Israeli jets struck nearby and at least two Islamic Jihad operatives were seriously wounded in the missile attacks, Ynetnews reported.

The Israeli soldier's death was the first for the army since Nov. 1, the Post said.

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