The last two days of attacks threaten the six-month truce mediated by Egypt in June [AFP]

Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the truce.

The violent clashes on Tuesday and Wednesday were the most serious since the two sides agreed on the ceasefire on June 19.

Seven Palestinians were killed in fighting that erupted after Israeli soldiers raided the Gaza Strip to purportedly destory a tunnel.

Tenuous truce

Israel said on Thursday it favoured an extension of the truce in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, despite the recent clashes.

"We hope the truce can again be applied, we believe in this truce and it looks like things are calming down," Matan Vilnai, the Israeli deputy defence minister, said.

Fawzi Barhum, a Hamas spokesman, said an extension of the truce agreement "would not prevent the resistance from responding to violations by the occupation."

The tensions came amid a visit to the region by Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state. Rice is scheduled to hold talks with Israeli officials and Palestinian Authority officials in the West Bank to define the outlines of a peace deal.

Rice is making her eighth trip to the region since the November 2007 Annapolis peace conference which launched the US initiative.

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