Jerusalem ? Israeli ground troops entered the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday night, a day after rocket fire from the Palestinian territory wounded dozens of Israeli soldiers. But the military described the incursion as routine and said it was not part of a large-scale mission.

The army gave no further information.

Early Tuesday morning, a Palestinian rocket from Gaza struck an army base in Israel just north of Gaza and wounded 40 soldiers as they slept in their tents. One soldier was in critical condition.

But Israel has ruled out a large-scale military retaliation, a decision some Israelis questioned.

Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005 and officials have ruled out a reoccupation. But ministers were to meet Sunday to discuss other punitive measures, such as cutting off electricity, fuel and water supplies.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has faced growing calls to respond to the near-daily rocket attacks out of Gaza. Israel has limited its response to brief, limited ground incursions and airstrikes aimed at rocket squads.