Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Israel is blaming Hamas for another round of civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip. On Monday, in an attempted air attack on Palestinian terrorists, the Israeli military accidentally killed civilians as well.

According to reports, a mother and her four children were among the seven people killed when their house was shelled.

Pictures of the dead children were being broadcast on Hamas' Al-Aksa television station. Hamas called for all Palestinian groups to react to what it called a "new massacre" in the Gaza Strip, Israeli radio reported. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum called for a harsh response against the "settlers."

David Baker, a senior official in Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said that Israel takes every precaution to avoid civilian casualties. He blamed Hamas for positioning itself among civilians.

"The tragic incident is currently under investigation," Baker said by telephone. "It is Hamas that entrenches itself among the civilian population thereby endangering them."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Israel sees Hamas as being responsible for all the trouble in the Gaza Strip, and he said Israel would keep up its military operations in the Gaza Strip to deter Palestinian terrorism.

Representatives of various Palestinian groups were supposed to leave on Monday for a meeting with Egyptian Intelligence chief Omar Sulieman in Egypt, who has been trying to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. It was unclear if Palestinians would call off the trip.

The Israeli army confirmed that it was conducting operations in northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun to keep terrorists away from the border fence . Israeli troops had come under anti-tank and mortar fire, lightly injuring one soldier, the army said.

Palestinian terrorists frequently fire rockets from Beit Hanoun at the southern Israeli town of Sderot.

Palestinians had launched at least 13 Kassam rockets and mortar shells at Israel by midday on Monday, including one that severely damaged a house in Sderot, the army said.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas condemned the Israeli operation in Beit Hanoun, saying it did not help efforts to bring calm to the territory.

Knesset member Effi Eitam, a reserve Israeli military commander, said the lives of Israeli soldiers and civilians take precedence. Israel never intentionally targets civilians, he said. When it happens accidentally, Israel always apologizes, Eitam said in a radio interview.

The incident comes amid reports that Washington is pushing Israel to agree to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Hamas by then.

"There is a push to wrap up the deal before Bush's visit," an unnamed top defense official told the Jerusalem Post. "The hope is that quiet in Gaza will enable Israel and the P.A. to focus on reaching a peace deal by the end of the year," he said.

Israel is not interested in such a ceasefire and many analysts have warned against it. They say it would only give Hamas a chance to build up its forces.

Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, who is on his way to Washington, said he opposed a dialogue with Hamas. "One must exterminate terror, not talk to it," he was quoted as saying.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due here next week, and President Bush is scheduled to visit on May 14 to mark Israel's 60\super th \nosupersub Independence Day anniversary.

Damascus-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal was quoted over the weekend telling Al-Jazeera that the proposed ceasefire was merely a "tactic in conducting the struggle" -- sometimes escalating, sometimes retreating a bit.

Just last week, Hamas claimed responsibility for the shooting deaths of two Israeli security guards protecting the separation barrier in the West Bank.

Former President Jimmy Carter met with Mashaal in Damascus earlier this month and was harshly criticized both here and in the U.S. for doing so. He defended his recent meeting with Hamas leaders in an opinion piece in the New York Times on Monday.

"Through more official consultations with these outlawed leaders, it may yet be possible to revive and expedite the stalemated peace talks between Israel and its neighbors," Carter wrote.

Israel's Ambassador to the U.N. Dan Gillerman called Carter a "bigot" late last week for meeting with Mashaal. Carter "went to the region with soiled hands and came back with bloody hands after shaking the hand of Khaled Mashaal," Gillerman said.