Israeli raids into Gaza leave at least six dead

At least six Palestinians were killed Thursday in Israeli air and ground strikes aimed at stopping rocket salvos from the Gaza Strip, Israeli defense officials and Palestinian sources said.

One rocket exploded next to an Israeli school, and the Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, later said it had fired three rockets at Israel.

In an amateur video taken from inside the school in the battered town of Sderot, an explosion is clearly heard. Children scream and cry as a teacher tries to guide them to safety.

No one was hurt, but Israeli officials said about a dozen children had panic attacks, and one was taken to a hospital suffering from shock.

Troops entered central Gaza and withdrew after nightfall, the military said. Israel said its forces killed seven Palestinian gunmen in four clashes. Palestinians confirmed six dead and 20 wounded.

Also Thursday, there were reports of a limited truce proposal from Hamas, delivered to Israel by Egypt. Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the Hamas proposal involved stopping the rocket fire in exchange for a halt to Israeli military operations in Gaza. They said Hamas gave assurances that it could impose the truce on the other militant groups firing rockets -- Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees.

There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian government.

Hamas first floated the idea of a truce this week when its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, called an Israeli television reporter. Israel rejected the advance, saying there was no need for a truce because Israel would have no reason to attack if the rocket fire stopped.

Israel refuses to deal directly with Hamas because the movement calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. Previous truces have been negotiated through Egyptian mediation, but none has held for long.