GAZA, Dec. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- The Israeli army divided the Gaza Strip into three isolated areas on Monday, one day after a tunnel bombing attack on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt which killed six Israeli soldiers.

    Palestinian security sources said that the Israeli army closed the major road between the central Gaza Strip town of Deir el Ballah and the southern Gaza towns of Rafah and Khan Yunis.

    The sources said that the army also closed the coastal road south of Gaza City, isolating Gaza from central and southern areas,adding that the move restricted the movement of 1.5 million Palestinians.

    Israeli soldiers prevented thousands of Palestinian vehicles from crossing checkpoints into the Gaza Strip, where tanks and armored vehicles were blocking the main road, the main artery of Gaza Strip.

    The radical Hamas group and the Fatah's armed wing claimed responsibility for the tunnel attack.

    Meanwhile, the Israeli army continued on Monday its attacks on cities in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian security sources said.

    The sources said that Israeli helicopters attacked houses in northern Gaza, causing severe damage to the houses.

    Witnesses said that Israeli helicopters attacked two schools in the northern Gaza Strip city of Beit Lahia. But no injuries were reported. Enditem