Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians in a raid in the Gaza Strip today.
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Palestinians gather in a mosque during the funeral of nine Palestinians killed during last night's Israeli tank raid on Gaza.
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The action came as Israel's siege of Mr Yasser Arafat's headquarters drew rare US criticism and caused a diplomatic deadlock at the United Nations.
Only hours after Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon publicly raised the possibility that a Gaza operation targeting the militant Islamic group Hamas could follow Israel's moves against Mr Arafat, an Israeli armoured force rumbled into two Gaza City suburbs.
It appeared the incursion by about a dozen tanks backed by helicopter gunships was limited in scope. Israeli soldiers blew up 13 metal workshops suspected of forming a makeshift weapons factory as well as the family home of a militant, the army said.
The forces withdrew after several hours from Gaza City with no Israeli casualties, the army said. Hospital officials said nine Palestinians, some of them civilians, were killed and more than 20 wounded.
The United States abstained on a UN Security Council resolution today demanding Israel stop its siege of Mr Arafat's compound, allowing the measure to go into force.
The resolution, approved by the other 14 council members after 11 hours of talks, also called on the Palestinian Authority to ensure those responsible for terrorist acts were brought to justice.
The United States has vetoed similar measures in the past, But diplomats said Washington decided against doing so as not to alienate Arab opinion during its campaign against Iraq.
Earlier, the White House said President Mr George W. Bush "views what Israel is doing now as unhelpful to the cause of bringing about reform in Palestinian institutions".
AP and Reuters