Palestinian death toll from a fresh round of Israeli military operation in the town of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza Strip at predawn Wednesday rose to six, Palestinian medics and security sources reported.

Medics said that one security officer and five militants were shot dead and 25 others sustained moderate or critical wounds after being hit by Israeli rockets and shells fragments in the predawn raid.

Security sources said that more than 20 Israeli armored vehicles, tanks and bulldozers backed by helicopters and drones stormed into the town amid intensive gunfire and armed confrontations with militants.

An earlier report said that four Palestinians, including one security officer and three militants, were killed.

Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Dan Halutz approved two days ago a large- scale ground military operation into the Gaza Strip to prevent militants from firing rockets at Israel.

The Israeli army move came also after an increase of arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip through tunnels under the borders between Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Source: Xinhua