Gaza Strip ? Israeli troops fended off Palestinian gunmen who assaulted a crossing on the Gaza border Thursday, thwarting the third attempt by militants to infiltrate into Israel in a week.

One Palestinian was reported killed in the clash, which followed a day of fighting between Israeli forces and Gaza militants that killed three Israeli soldiers and 21 Palestinians, including five children and a news cameraman.

Gazans are angry over a nearly yearlong blockade of their borders, causing shortages in almost all commodities in the seaside territory. Israel generally halts all shipments after attacks like Thursday’s.

Some analysts believe the militant group Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since last June, is trying to provoke an even worse situation for Gazans to ratchet up international pressure on Israel to relax the blockade.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki, meanwhile, said peace talks with Israel are showing no progress, and President Mahmoud Abbas will ask for “clear, solid” American intervention when he meets with President Bush in Washington next week.