In Israel and the Occupied Territories, at least four Palestinians were killed Thursday in an Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip. Several others were wounded, including a seven-year-old boy and a journalist working with Reuters television. The journalist’s colleague, Abed Shana, said Israeli troops shot without provocation.

Abed Shana: “I entered because they said there are martyrs and the ambulance was going to get them, so we entered with the rest of the journalists. They shot at us. Nihad got wounded, and heavy gunfire continued. We were wearing our flak-jackets, and there were children in the area, and some young men. There was nothing going on, the direction in which I was heading. There were children, and there was nothing going on.”

Palestinian militants, meanwhile, shot three rockets at a nearby Israeli town. One rocket landed close to a school, but no one was hurt. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have issued a new response to a truce offer from Hamas. A government official says Israel would consider a deal only if Hamas agrees to stop smuggling arms and open talks for the release of the captured soldier Gilad Shalit. Hamas leader Ismael Haniya said this week he would prevent rocket fire if Israel stopped the killing of Palestinians and lifted its blockade of the Gaza Strip. President Bush is planning on visiting the region next month for the first time during his presidency. On Thursday, Bush said he was looking forward to a “great trip.”

President Bush: “I’m looking forward to going to the Middle East. I’ve got a couple of objectives. One is to advance the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. Secondly is to continue to work with our Arab friends on reconciliation with Israel and finally is to assure people in the Middle East that we understand or will show a strong commitment to the security of the region and a commitment to the security of our friends. And it’s going to be a great trip.”

The Bush administration is pushing its own version of a peace deal after rejecting an Arab League offer for peace with Israel in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Occupied Territories.