Woman suicide bomber blows up in Gaza Strip -army

JERUSALEM, Nov 6 (Reuters) A Palestinian suicide bomber blew herself up near Israeli troops in the northern Gaza Strip today, wounding one soldier, the Israeli army said.

Israeli forces have been operating in the area for the past six days in a bid to curb cross-border rocket attacks.

''A woman suicide bomber exploded near our forces and preliminary information shows one soldier was slightly wounded,'' an army spokesman said.

Residents of the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun confirmed the suicide bombing. The identity of the woman was not immediately known.

On Friday, Israeli troops shot dead two women acting as human shields outside a mosque where Palestinian gunmen had holed themselves up in Beit Hanoun, witnesses said.

The Israeli army said at the time it had fired at armed Palestinians and was investigating whether it had also shot the women.

REUTERS SP PM1932