SAO PAULO, Oct 4 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Monday he hopes Israel's bloody military operations in Gaza will end soon.
Powell repeated the US position that Israel had a right to defend itself, but called on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to use proportionate response to recent Palestinian rocket attacks.
"Mr Sharon finds the need to respond to that," Powell said shortly before arriving here on an official, two-day visit.
"I hope that it does not expand, I hope that whatever he does is proportionate to the threat that Israel is facing and I hope that this operation can come to a conclusion quickly," Powell said.
Israel said its troops could be in northern Gaza for weeks.
Since Israel began the operation six days ago, at least 77 Palestinians have been killed in the deadliest incursion into Gaza since the start of the intifada, or uprising, in 2000. On Monday, eight Palestinians, including a child and a teenage girl, were killed by Israeli fire.
Israel's chief of staff said Monday that the operation, which is intended to establish a buffer zone to prevent Palestinian militants from firing rockets at Israel, could last for weeks.
The Gaza incursion has sparked deep international concern, including a weekend call from UN chief Kofi Annan for Israel to halt the operation. On Monday, Egypt called the incursion a "dangerous escalation."
Powell will meet students, business leaders and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.