By Nidal al-Mughrabi
GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed 31 Palestinians,about half of them civilians, in the Gaza Strip on Saturday inintense fighting that renewed threats of a broader Israelioffensive and put peace talks at risk.
A total of 66 Palestinians have been killed in four days ofIsraeli air strikes and raids in the tiny Hamas-controlledcoastal territory, home to 1.5 million people, straddlingIsrael, Egypt and the Mediterranean.
The Jewish state said it was responding to cross-borderrockets which killed an Israeli man in the border town ofSderot on Wednesday and wounded others in the major southerncity of Ashkelon.
The United States urged Israel to "consider theconsequences" of any action ahead of next week's visit by U.S.Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
More bloodshed could derail Washington's hopes of a peacedeal before President George W. Bush steps down next January.
Of the 31 killed on Saturday, 16 were civilians and therest militants, according to hospital staff and the IslamistHamas movement, which seized control of Gaza last June afterrouting the more secular forces of Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas.
One of the dead civilians was a mother who was preparingbreakfast for her children when she was hit by gunfire,relatives and medical workers said. A girl and her brother werealso among the dead.
Witnesses said fighting erupted after Israel soldiers,backed by helicopter gunships, entered northern Gaza and wereconfronted by Palestinian gunmen.
Palestinian officials said Israeli forces advanced towardsthe towns of Beit Hanoun and Jabalya, the deepest incursion inseveral months.
The Israeli army confirmed its forces were operating in thearea and that five soldiers had been lightly wounded.
An army spokeswoman said about 20 rockets were fired intoIsrael on Saturday, including three Soviet-designed Gradmissiles, which are more powerful and accurate than improvised,locally produced Qassams.
Three Israelis were lightly injured by rockets that reacheddeep into Ashkelon, a city of some 120,000 people.
Israeli leaders said they may have no choice but to launcha broader offensive in the Gaza Strip if Palestinian militantsdo not stop rocket attacks on the Jewish state.
"As long as events escalate, the chances that we will usegreater force increases," Deputy Israeli Defence Minister MatanVilnai told Israel Radio.
MOUNTING ANGER
On Friday, Vilnai warned Gazans they risked a "shoah" ifrocket fire did not end.
An aide said Vilnai meant "disaster" rather than"holocaust," the word's more common meaning. The strength ofhis language reflected mounting anger after Wednesday'skilling.
Hazem Abu Shanab, a senior member of Abbas's Fatah factionin Gaza, called the Israeli incursion a "real massacre againstall of us".
Hamas officials said there had been an "internationalsilence" over the "massacre", including from fellow Arabs.
Abbas, who remains hostile to Hamas, called Israel'sthreats and preparations to target Gaza "dangerous". The highdeath toll could increase pressure on Abbas to suspend peacetalks with Israel, which withdrew troops and settlers from Gazain 2005 after 38 years.
Though rocket fire has long disrupted life in southernIsraeli towns, the killing of the Israeli on Wednesday -- thefirst death of its kind since May -- has put pressure onIsraeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to increase military action.
Hamas has said the rocket attacks were a response toIsraeli raids into Gaza and the West Bank.
(Writing by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Caroline Drees)
