JERUSALEM

Four Israeli soldiers on patrol were wounded on Saturday when an explosive device went off near southern Israel’s border with Gaza, according to the Israeli military.

“Four IDF soldiers were wounded, including two severely, one moderately and one lightly,” the Israeli army said in a statement.

“The four soldiers were evacuated to the Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva --southern Israel -- for further treatment,” it added.

The Israeli army responded with tank fire at an observation post for Islamic Jihad’s military wing Saraya al-Quds.

An Israel army statement held Hamas responsible for the deaths, saying the explosive had been planted yesterday under cover of what it called a "riot."

Today’s incident was the most serious along the southern Israel-Gaza front since Israel’s Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

Israel waged a devastating 51-day military onslaught on the Gaza Strip in mid-2014 in which more than 2,300 Palestinians were killed and tens of thousands injured.

According to Israeli figures, 68 Israeli soldiers and five Israeli civilians were killed in the conflict, while 2,522 others, including 740 soldiers, were injured.