JERUSALEM, March 7 (UPI) -- The deadly assault on a Jewish seminary could not have been prevented even if security guards were at the facility's entrance, Jerusalem's police chief said.

Thousands of mourners Friday marched in funeral processions for the eight Merkaz Harav Yeshiva students killed when a lone gunman stormed the facility and opened fire before being shot to death.

"The terrorist was very decisive and well prepared with a big arsenal of weapons -- a real war machine. No security guard could have prevented the attack," Police Chief Inspector-General Dudi Cohen said.

Also Friday, Hamas backed off the militant group's claim of responsibility for Thursday's assault, The Jerusalem Post reported.

While police would not offer more details about the gunman, several residents of the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber said the terrorist's name was Alaa Abu Dhein, 20, who had worked as a driver at the seminary, Haaretz said.

An Israeli official indicated that peace talks with the Palestinians would go on despite the violence.

Israel will push ahead with talks "so as not to punish moderate Palestinians for actions by people who are not just our enemies but theirs as well," the Israeli official told the Post.