US President George W. Bush today denounced as "heavy-handed" an Israeli air strike last night which resulted in the death of eight children, six civilians and a Hamas militant leader in the Gaza Strip.
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Palestinian doctors treat man wounded in the attack on the house of a Hamas militant in the Gaza Strip
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The US president joins world leaders in the criticism of the overnight raid. Earlier the European Union said the attack was a setback for peace just when an end to suicide bombings had seemed possible.
A spokesman for the White House said: "The president has said before Israel has to be mindful of the consequences of its actions to preserve the path to peace and the president believes this heavy-handed action does not contribute to peace."
Israel attacked the home of Hamas commander Salah Shehada with F-16s in the operation which left 145 others injured. Mr Shehada's wife and three children were among the dead.
Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon called the operation a "great success". He expressed regret for the civilian deaths but said there could be "no compromise with terror".
But the attack was condemned EU foreign policy chief, Mr Javier Solana said: "I strongly condemn the death of innocent civilians in last night's attack against Gaza . . . There were as well indications that a possible end to suicide bombings could be reached."
Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, said the Israeli attack was "completely unacceptable".
European Commission President Romano Prodi branded it "an act of war that fuels despair and will make the work to achieve peace much, much more difficult".
Mr Shehada was head of the Hamas movement's Izz el-Deen al-Qassam brigades, which have killed dozens of Israelis in suicide attacks since the start of a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in 2000.
Mr Solana said the EU understood Israel's right to ensure security and stop acts of terror against its citizens, "but this kind of operation is not conducive towards peace and reconciliation".
Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin had told reporters yesterday that the movement would consider halting suicide attacks on Israelis if Israel withdrew from West Bank cities and stopped measures against the Palestinian population.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the attack, accusing the Israelis of trying to "sabotage the international efforts to pressure the Israeli government to withdraw troops . . . and to get back to negotiations".
"It is carnage which no human being can imagine," said Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat. "Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon does not want peace but is seeking to continue his policy of massacres".
Around 30,000 people, including hundreds of gunmen firing in the air, turned out in Gaza City today for the funeral of 15 Palestinians killed in the air strike.
A group representing 13 Palestinian nationalist and Islamic factions earlier called for a "day of rage" during the funerals. Palestinians have previously held "days of rage" every Friday to demonstrate their opposition to the Israeli occupation.
The High Committee for National and Islamic Forces had called for the whole city to turn out for today’s burial.
AFP and