Five dead in explosion in Gaza Strip: ministry, witnesses

Five people were killed in an explosion in the central Gaza Strip today in what was thought to be an accidental blast, residents and the health ministry said.

Gaza's health ministry confirmed five people were killed and three others wounded in what residents said appeared to be an accidental explosion in the Az-Zawayda area of the central Gaza Strip.

The blast comes after weeks of deadly protests and clashes along the border between Gaza and Israel, but there was no indication the explosion was the result of an Israeli strike.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said she was not aware of the incident. Authorities in Gaza, run by Islamist movement Hamas, had not provided any further details on the blast.

Some explosions in the past in the Gaza Strip have resulted from the accidental detonation of explosive materials belonging to militant groups.