A Palestinian man has been killed in an Israeli air attack in eastern Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Mahmoud al-Nabahin, 24, was killed while two other Palestinians were wounded, one of whom is in critical condition.

According to local media, Tuesday's attack was carried out moments after an Israeli soldier was wounded when a bullet hit his helmet.

The Israeli military claims the bullet came from protesters inside the besieged enclave.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli army said it targeted an observation post belonging to Hamas - the group that governs the Gaza Strip - in what it said was a response to gunfire from the northern part of the enclave.

A fragile truce between Hamas and Israel, brokered by Egypt, has brought relative calm to the Strip in recent weeks.

The deal was designed to restore calm and end two days of Israeli aerial attacks on Gaza which began after Palestinian factions fired rockets at Israel in retaliation to an undercover Israeli operation that killed seven people in Gaza.

At least 14 Palestinians and two Israelis were killed in those two days of violence.

Palestinians in Gaza have been protesting along the fence with Israel on a weekly basis since March last year, calling for their right of return and an end to the 11-year Israeli blockade.

The siege has devastated the local economy, severely restricting the entry of food, access to basic services, and the movement of more than two million people who reside in Gaza.

Since the rallies began, at least 170 Palestinians have been killed, with 18,000 others wounded, according to the health ministry.