Israeli air raids hit southern Gaza

10/05/2010| IslamWeb

Israel has carried out two air strikes on positions in the southern Gaza Strip.

Monday's attack, in which no casualties were reported, came just hours after Israelis and Palestinians began indirect talks towards direct 'peace negotiations'.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, made the announcement after a meeting on Sunday between George Mitchell, the US Middle East envoy, and Mahmoud Abbas, in the occupied Palestinian territory of Ramallah in the West Bank.

Mitchell is to mediate the planned four-month indirect talks between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Negotiations have stalled since Israel's three-week assault on the Gaza Strip in December 2008.

One of the targets Israel hit on Monday was reported to be a tunnel in Rafah.

Palestinians say the tunnels are a lifeline for bringing in essential supplies because Israel has blockaded the territory since June 2007.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinians work at a tunnel which goes beneath the Egyptian-Gaza border in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on April 29.

Al-Jazeera