Israel kills five Hamas gunmen in Gaza

Israeli troops backed by tanks and warplanes launched a raid into the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing five Hamas gunmen and a schoolteacher, the ruling Palestinian Islamist faction and hospital officials said.

Residents said tanks and heavy bulldozers penetrated the border fence near the town of Jabalya in the coastal territory. Israeli forces also struck in Beit Hanoun, a border community often used by Palestinian militants to fire rockets into Israel.

Hamas said five of its gunmen died fighting the Israeli troops. Hospital officials said an Israeli missile hit a school in Beit Hanoun, killing a teacher and wounding two colleagues.

A military spokeswoman confirmed Israeli forces were operating in the Gaza area but said she could not immediately elaborate.

Hamas said it was responsible for a Palestinian suicide bombing that killed a woman in Israel on Monday, the first such claim from the group since 2004.

Israeli forces frequently carry out raids in Gaza to try and counter cross-border rocket fire by Hamas and other militant groups.

Five rockets were launched on Thursday, the Israeli army said, but there was no immediate word of casualties or damage.

Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June when it routed secular Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has revived peace talks with Israel. Hamas refuses to give up its fight against the Jewish state.