By Middle East correspondent David Hardaker-ABC News Online - 02/11/2006.

Renewed Israeli military action has left nine Palestinians dead in the Gaza Strip.

Apart from those killed, scores of Palestinians were left wounded after a day of intense fighting in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun.

One Israeli soldier was also killed.

Witnesses say Israel`s defence forces carried out three air strikes and surrounded Beit Hanoun with up to 60 tanks and armoured vehicles.

More than 40 people were wounded as Israeli troops, backed by helicopter gunships, carried out the raid.

Palestinian sources said five of the Palestinians killed were militants.

The raid was the strongest Israeli action since a series of attacks in June when Palestinian militants seized an Israeli soldier in a cross border raid.

Israel said the action was in response to the continued firing of makeshift Qassam rockets from the northern Gaza Strip into Israel.

Palestinian leaders strongly condemned the attack, calling it a massacre.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas renewed his call for rapid international intervention to stop the Israeli assaults.