GAZA - Islamic Hamas movement on Saturday warned against an escalation of violence in Gaza Strip, saying it will not stand indifferent if Israel kept striking the Gaza Strip.

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"We warn the Israeli occupation against continuing its crimes," said Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, "the occupation should study the consequences of its crimes and should not misunderstand the position of the Palestinian resistance factions."

Abu Zuhri said Gaza groups are still restraining themselves and that their rocket attacks were still "restricted and controlled."

Tension increased when Hamas militants fired a rocket at Israel on Thursday, hitting a school bus and wounding two people inside, including a 16-year-old student who was badly hurt. Seventeen Palestinians, including eight civilians, were killed in the ongoing Israeli attacks since Thursday.

Hamas said it targeted the Israeli school bus in response to the killing of three of its commanders a week ago.

Abu Zuhri blamed Israel for not respecting a unilateral cease- fire that Gaza groups declared on March 23.

Violence has ebbed and flowed in recent weeks, ending a fragile cease-fire that has held since the end of Israel's three-week military offensive here in January 2009.