Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority started on September 2. After the resumption of negotiations, Israel refrained from attacking Gaza for just two days.
Then it ordered the bombing of two Rafah tunnels that connect the besieged Gaza Strip to Egypt, killing two workers, and leaving two severely injured.
Then, in the second missile attack by Israel on Gaza since negotiations resumed, the Israeli military carried out air strikes on three regions of the Gaza Strip late on September 9. The attacks came as inhabitants prepared to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end the holy month of Ramadan.
Israel dropped two missiles on Gaza City, three on Rafah, one on Beit Hanoun and a further missile on Deir Al Balah, a second central Gaza location.
After the Gaza City bombing, only two slight injuries were reported the next day.
However in Rafah, in south Gaza, it was feared that there could be casualties as there were reports of missing persons, mainly men who work in the tunnels. The September 10 Jerusalem Post said Palestinian security forces had announced at least five injured.
As well as the missile dropped from the air on Beit Hanoun, in Gaza’s north, an Israeli tank also fired six shells.
[Reprinted from www.palsolidarity.org, the website of the International Solidarity Movement.]