A Hamas member was killed and three others were wounded in an Israeli attack in central Gaza on Tuesday, near the Israeli border.

A Palestinian health official and Hamas security forces said the injured men were taken to a hospital in Deir el-Balah for treatment.

The Israeli military said it was looking into the report.

Also on Tuesday, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said roadblocks, which he said have been a proven obstacle to Palestinian attacks, would not be dismantled, except in isolated cases.

There is no chance of effectively fighting terror without practical daily control in the field, and the roadblocks will stay.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had complained about Israeli army checkpoints and roadblocks in the West Bank which seriously impede the movement of Palestinian people and goods.

He called on the Israeli government to cease settlement construction and dismantle its separation barrier in the West Bank, saying they undermine the basis of the independent Palestinian state and block the two-state solution.

In another related development, Palestinian media has reported that Hamas is likely to reach an agreement with Israel over the next two weeks on swapping Palestinian prisoners for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Shalit was captured by Hamas-linked militants in 2006.

The deal mediated by Egypt.