Israeli air strikes on Gaza kill 20

GAZA (Reuters) - Israel unleashed a barrage of air strikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing 20 Palestinians including several civilians and children as well as Islamist militants behind rocket attacks on the Jewish state.

Despite international calls for restraint, the death toll over the past two days rose to 33. These included an Israeli man, whose death from a rocket attack on Wednesday was the first such killing since May. Among the Palestinian dead were a baby and four boys who medical staff said were playing soccer.

It is the bloodiest phase of the conflict in months and a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of trying to wreck a new U.S.-backed peace process ahead of a visit next week by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

As Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other officials sent out mixed signals on whether there might be a full-scale ground offensive, Gaza residents said troops raided homes in the south and tanks were seen inside the border in the north. Blasts rocked Gaza City and militants fired at Israeli helicopters.

Three people were wounded in Israel on Thursday and the security minister, visiting the area, had to scramble for cover.