Fresh violence between Palestinians and Israelis has seen six Palestinians shot dead in Gaza, reports say, and a fresh spate of stabbings.

Israel said its troops fired over the Gaza border after coming under attack.

Earlier, police said there had been the first apparent revenge stabbing attack by an Israeli on Arabs.

Tensions between Israel and the Palestinians have recently soared amid a rash of attacks and confrontations between Palestinians and troops.

Since last weekend, gun and knife attacks by Palestinians have left four Israelis dead and many wounded, while at least three Palestinians have been killed during clashes with security forces in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

According to Palestinian medical sources, the six Palestinians were shot dead and many others wounded in two separate incidents in Gaza on Friday when Israeli troops opened fire.

The Palestinians were protesting in solidarity with Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank.