GAZA, March 1 (Reuters) - Israeli tanks shelled a group of Palestinian gunmen in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday, killing one and wounding another, their group and the Israeli army said.

The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), an umbrella militant group allied to Gaza's Hamas rulers, said the gunmen had been on a jihadist mission when they were fired on. The term usually denotes armed operations or training.

An Israeli military spokesmen said the PRC men had been trying to plant a bomb near Gaza's boundary fence, where there are regular army patrols.

Cross-border violence in Gaza has tapered off since Israel waged a 22-day offensive there in December 2008.

Islamist Hamas is in German- and Egyptian-mediated talks with Israel on the release of a captive Israeli soldier. Cairo has also tried to end a violent rift between Hamas and U.S.-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Andrew Roche)