Michael, a student who only gave his first name, told local media that he saw a terrorist entered the complex and fired for some 10 minutes. "He fired 500-600 bullets," he was quoted assaying, adding that most of those wounded were high school students.

A large number of police and emergency medical personnel were closing to the area.

In Gaza, Hamas welcomed the terrorist attack. "We bless the (Jerusalem) operation. It will not be the last," Hamas said in a statement.

In Gaza City, residents went out into the streets and fired rifles in the air in celebration after hearing news of the attack on the yeshiva.

Angry Jewish students clash with policemen outside a Jewish religious school after a shooting attack in Jerusalem on March 6, 2008. At least eight Israeli students were killed in the shooting attack at Merkaz Harav yeshiva in the Kiryat Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem on Thursday. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2008)