Israeli troops shot and wounded four Palestinian policemen in the northern Gaza Strip early on Saturday, and tanks firing heavy machineguns then thrust into the area, Palestinian officials said.
The fresh violence followed an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on Friday night and the killing of eight Palestinians, most during a roundup of militants in the West Bank, as part of a wave of reprisals for recent attacks on Israelis.
The latest cycle of tit-for-tat assaults has largely derailed a US peace mission led by envoy Anthony Zinni. A Palestinian public security spokesman said four policemen were riding in a jeep in the Palestinian-ruled town of Beit Hanoun when they came under Israeli fire early on Saturday.
He said the security men were on a patrol to prevent Palestinian militants from firing mortars from the area on Israeli posts in the Gaza Strip as they had done in the past. Israel had vowed to retaliate swiftly for mortar attacks.
Shortly after the jeep attack, 16 tanks rolled into the town and took up positions while soldiers with loudspeakers ordered residents to stay in their homes, the security spokesman said. "The Israelis are now occupying most of Beit Hanoun," he said.
Hospital officials said one officer was critically wounded with a bullet to the head. The others were moderately wounded.

Bureau Report