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The mayor said Israel has no choice but to defend itself from repeated Hamas rocket attacks.

Earlier on Sunday, Bloomberg toured medical centers and met with former New Yorkers who now live in Israel.

At a children's hospital, the mayor visited with pregnant women as well as mothers and their sick children.

Later, Bloomberg toured the Israeli Defense Forces Outpost and a home that was hit by a rocket.

There was also a scary moment for the mayor when he was forced to run for cover at one point when a rocket alarm went off as he was visiting the town of Sderot.

A spokesman said the mayor took shelter in the town's emergency operations center.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Queens Congressman Gary Ackerman are also traveling with Bloomberg.

At a meeting with defense officials, the New York contingency asked the Israelis about the weapons that are often used in the region.

City officials said they are trying to learn how to protect America, specifically it's bigger cities including New York.

"If other people lose their freedom, eventually we will lose ours and I've always thought that the future of America depends on other democracies around the world surviving, which is why America has always rushed to the defense of other democracies. Let me remind you that Israel is the only true democracy in this part of the world," said Bloomberg.

"We have an ongoing relationship with Israeli law enforcement, we have an ongoing dialogue, we have a detective assigned over here, so this is sort of an extension of the relationship we've had for several years now," said Kelly.

The mayor and his traveling party are also scheduled to meet with Israel's Prime Minister before heading back home.

The mayor's trip comes after Israel launched a ground invasion into Gaza following eight days of airstrikes -- a move Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert called "unavoidable."

Israeli ground troops and tanks cut through the Gaza Strip Sunday, bisecting the territory and surrounding its biggest city.

The Israeli military said its troops killed or wounded dozens of militant fighters but Gaza's ruling Hamas party said only four fighters had been killed.

More than 500 Palestinians have been killed since Israel's offensive began last Saturday.

Israel kept up its air assault even as ground forces moved into Gaza, bombarding the region in an effort to stop Hamas rocket attacks.

Meanwhile, the United States late Saturday night blocked approval of a UN Security Council statement calling for an immediate cease-fire.

US Deputy Ambassador Alejandro Wolff said the United States doesn't believe the statement would have been followed by Hamas.

"The efforts we are making nationally are designed to establish a sustainable, durable cease fire that's respected by all. And that means no more rocket attacks it means no more smuggling of arms and means the beginning of reopening checkpoints under the 2005 agreement and provisions under that agreement," said Wolff.

In Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Palestinians say their thoughts are with their families in Gaza. Some businesses here even expressed their protest displaying signs in their windows.

"I sit there crying because nobody's helping the families that are there," said Palestinian Diana Ahmad.

"The war in the Gaza is no good because a lot of children, the wives, women are killed," said Palestinian Hamid Chaouche.

Many Palestinians told NY1 that they believe their side of this conflict is misunderstood.

"People in Gaza were without electricity, food, water or aid for months," said Ahmad. "No one's acknowledging the fact that children and families were without the necessities to live and so they had to defend themselves in some way. They can't just walk over to the Israelis and say 'turn back on our water.'"

"It's all Israel's fault and it's just sad because they aren't getting any food and they are still suffering and they think it's all Hamas' fault and it's not," said Chaouche.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected in New York on Tuesday to urge the council to adopt a cease fire agreement.