The Israeli strikes come hours after Islamist group Hamas said it had brokered a deal for Gaza's militant groups to stop firing on Israel.

However, Israel pounded Gaza with fresh airstrikes on April 8 and Palestinian militants fired mortars into Israel.

On April 7, a Hamas anti-tank missile hit at an Israeli school bus, seriously wounding a teenager.

Since then, Israel has launched more than 20 raids on the Gaza Strip, killing 14 Gazans - many of them civilians, at least five Hamas militants and one policeman. About 45 people have been wounded.

Meanwhile, an Israeli police spokesman said at least 15 rockets have been fired into Israel during April 8, causing damage but no injuries. This follows more than 50 mortar rounds fired at Israel on April 7, one of which hit a house.

Hamas's military wing said it carried out some of the strikes, accusing Israel of breaking the ceasefire declaration with its dawn raids. A small PLO faction, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, also said it fired at Israel on April 8.