Israeli forces have killed five Palestinians during armored incursions into Palestinian-ruled areas of the Gaza Strip.

Troops, backed by tanks and armored personnel carriers, searched houses and seized more than 20 Palestinians in the towns of Deir al-Balah, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahia and the Jabalyiah refugee camp.

The Israeli army said its raids were in reprisal for Palestinian rocket fire into Israel earlier in the week. Gunbattles broke out in several places. Israeli tank fire killed three Palestinian policemen in Deir al-Balah. One policeman and a civilian were killed by Israeli gunfire in Beit Hanoun.

Israeli forces left three of the places after the raids but remain in Beit Hanun. There, Israeli forces took over a girls' school and set up positions in the town square. An Israeli spokesman described Beit Hanoun as a stronghold of the Islamic militant group Hamas.

Earlier this week, Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip hit Palestinian security facilities in heavily populated areas. Israeli troops and tanks also launched raids in Palestinian areas near the West Bank towns of Hebron and Ramallah.

For the first time Sunday, Palestinians fired the new Qassam-Two rockets from Gaza into Israel. The attack caused no damage or casualties but alarmed Israeli security officials, who say such weapons could reach Israeli population centers. The Qassam-Two rocket has a range of five-to-eight kilometers. Hamas says it has the right to acquire whatever weapons it can to combat Israel's superior firepower.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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