Gaza Strip: A series of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed six Hamas fighters early on Thursday, raising the Palestinian death toll in the past day to 17, including a baby, and raising the specter of a serious escalation of Israel-Hamas fighting a day after a rocket fired from Gaza killed an Israeli in a battered town.

Overnight, the army said it carried out three more airstrikes against fighters in northern Gaza. Palestinian officials reported four dead in the attacks. Also early on Thursday, Israeli troops raided the West Bank city of Nablus and killed two fighters who were recently released from prison, Palestinian officials said.

The army said its soldiers were attacked and returned fire toward the militants.