A Hamas suicide bomber blew himself up near Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip today shortly after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in the occupied territory to press militants to lay down their arms.
Rescue workers and witnesses said at least five Israelis and two Palestinians were wounded.
Hamas claimed responsibility for what it described as a "martyrdom operation" at an army checkpoint near the Gush Katif bloc of Jewish settlements.
A little earlier, Mr Abbas travelled to Gaza City, hoping to persuade militant groups to cease fire.
A senior Palestinian security official said security forces intended to disarm militant factions as part of a plan to stop attacks on Israelis.
Keeping pressure on the new leader, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon paid a rare visit to troops in the northern Gaza Strip. His office said he discussed how to stop rocket and mortar fire at Jewish settlements.
"Firing at civilian settlements is something that cannot continue and must be dealt with as soon as possible," Mr Sharon told the soldiers, in remarks broadcast on Israel Radio.
Israeli media reports said a mortar bomb landed near the Erez border crossing shortly before Mr Sharon's arrival.
Mr Abbas has come under pressure since his election last week to replace the late Yasser Arafat as president. Israel has refused to talk to him until he reins in militant groups, whom he plans to meet during his three-day Gaza visit.
In Washington, US Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice promised enormous personal effort to exploit a moment of opportunity in Middle East peace she said the change in Palestinian leadership had provided. "The new Palestinian leadership in word is devoted to fighting terror; it needs to be devoted in deed to fighting terror," she said, adding that the administration has pressed Palestinians hard to control the militants.
Palestinian militants fired more rockets and mortars into Jewish settlements in Gaza hours before Abbas travelled to the area from the West Bank city of Ramallah. A dozen or more rounds caused no casualties, settlers said.
"Calls by some to stop resistance operations against the Zionist enemy are not binding on us," Islamic Jihad militants said in a statement.
Mr Abbas ordered his security forces yesterday to prevent anti-Israeli violence, but there were no signs by today of new Palestinian deployments.