Israel soldiers have killed 12 Palestinians in missile strikes in southern Gaza in retaliation for two ambushes that killed 11 soldiers in the past two days.
An Israeli helicopter missile strike killed three Palestinians and wounded several others in the Rafah reguee camp this morning, hours after two missile strikes killed seven people in the same area.
An Israeli military spokesman had no immediate comment on the latest strike, which witnesses said destroyed part of a mosque.
Earlier, two missiles hit a crowd in the camp near the spot where militants blew up an explosives-packed troop carrier yesterday, killing five soldiers.
An Israeli military source said the missiles were fired at militants trying to plant bombs.
Six Israeli servicemen died on Tuesday when their armoured vehicle hit a land mine during a raid in a militant stronghold in Gaza City.
Israeli forces pulled out of the Gaza neighbourhood early this morning in what Palestinian sources said was an Egyptian-mediated deal under which militants returned the soldiers' remains.
The latest violence has intensified debate between proponents and opponents of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to evacuate settlers from Gaza, now stalled by rightist hard-liners in his own Likud party.
Polls show most Israelis see Gaza as a liability that should be abandoned. Mr Sharon intends to pursue his plan despite its defeat in a May 2nd Likud vote that also reflected fears Palestinian militants would seize on a unilateral pullout as a victory.