By Nidal al-Mughrabi
GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli troops backed by tanks, helicoptergunships and warplanes killed six Palestinian gunmen and aschoolteacher in a raid in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip onThursday, militant groups and hospital officials said.
Israel has stepped up military action against Hamas sinceit claimed responsibility for a Palestinian suicide bombing onMonday, the first such attack by the Islamist faction insidethe Jewish state since 2004.
Residents said tanks and heavy bulldozers penetrated theborder fence near the northern town of Jabalya. Israeli forcesalso struck in nearby Beit Hanoun, a border community oftenused by Palestinian militants to fire rockets into Israel.
Hamas, the ruling Islamist group, said five of its gunmenwere killed fighting the Israeli troops. Another gunman, fromIslamic Jihad, also died in the clashes, it said.
An Israeli missile hit a school in Beit Hanoun, killing ateacher and wounding three pupils, hospital officials said.
Two of the wounded were initially identified as fellowstaff members but the Education Ministry later said all threewere pupils aged 16.
"What was the fault of a teacher, an emissary on a sacredmission?" the ministry said in a statement deploring theattack.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said troops had fired on aPalestinian rocket crew spotted inside Beit Hanoun.
"We certainly did not target a school," she said. Aninvestigation is under way to determine whether the buildingmight have been hit by a stray missile.
The military spokeswoman confirmed there had been anincursion in Jabalya and said forces withdrew after a fewhours.
Israel quit Gaza in 2005 after 38 years of occupation butstill controls its coast, key crossings, and airspace. Hamasand other factions regularly launch crude rockets across theborder.
"If rocket fire from Gaza continues we will intensify ouroperations ... until the salvoes end," Israeli Defence MinisterEhud Barak said in remarks aired by Army Radio.
Seven rockets were launched from Gaza on Thursday, the armysaid. One hit the border town of Sderot, hurting two Israelis.
Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June when itrouted secular Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas, who has revived peace talks with Israel. Hamasrefuses to give up its fight against the Jewish state.
(Additional reporting by Joseph Nasr in Jerusalem, Writingby Dan Williams, Editing by Robert Woodward)
