In a pre-dawn attack on Wednesday Israeli jets blew-up tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border, no casualties were reported in the raids that, reportedly, sent hundreds of people fleeing their homes in panic. Israel later confirmed the raids which came hours before the newly appointed US Middle East peace envoy was due to arrive in Israel.
The raids were ostensibly in retaliation of an attack on an Israeli army patrol that killed an officer and wounded two other soldiers.
Confirmed the raids, Israel said the attacks on the Rafah tunnels are aimed at stopping alleged weapons smuggling into the Gaza Strip by Hamas fighters.
The tunnels are also used to smuggle food, fuel and consumer goods from Egypt and are considered a life-line for thousands of ordinary Gazans.
The latest attack came despite fragile ceasefires declared by Israel and Hamas last week, ending a 22-day Israeli military campaign on Gaza in which 1,300 people were killed.
Israeli jets had targeted scores of cross-border tunnels during the recent war, but many tunnels resumed work shortly after the ceasefire.
Neither Hamas nor any other group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's bomb attack targeting an Israeli army patrol along the Gaza border.
Meanwhile, Egyptian mediators have been talking separately to Israel and Hamas to negotiate a more permanent ceasefire.
Hamas wants the border crossings into Gaza reopened, including the Rafah checkpoint bordering Egypt, to end the Israeli blockade in the territory.
Israel wants to stop the rocket fire and prevent Hamas fighters from using smuggling tunnels under the border with Egypt to rearm themselves with weapons.
Barack Obama, the US president, has despatched George Mitchell to the region to discuss the ceasefire efforts.
Speaking on Monday Obama said he had instructed Mitchell, who played a prominent role in the Northern Ireland peace process, to "engage vigorously" to achieve real progress between Israel and the Palestinians.
The raids were ostensibly in retaliation of an attack on an Israeli army patrol that killed an officer and wounded two other soldiers.
Confirmed the raids, Israel said the attacks on the Rafah tunnels are aimed at stopping alleged weapons smuggling into the Gaza Strip by Hamas fighters.
The tunnels are also used to smuggle food, fuel and consumer goods from Egypt and are considered a life-line for thousands of ordinary Gazans.
The latest attack came despite fragile ceasefires declared by Israel and Hamas last week, ending a 22-day Israeli military campaign on Gaza in which 1,300 people were killed.
Israeli jets had targeted scores of cross-border tunnels during the recent war, but many tunnels resumed work shortly after the ceasefire.
Neither Hamas nor any other group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's bomb attack targeting an Israeli army patrol along the Gaza border.
Meanwhile, Egyptian mediators have been talking separately to Israel and Hamas to negotiate a more permanent ceasefire.
Hamas wants the border crossings into Gaza reopened, including the Rafah checkpoint bordering Egypt, to end the Israeli blockade in the territory.
Israel wants to stop the rocket fire and prevent Hamas fighters from using smuggling tunnels under the border with Egypt to rearm themselves with weapons.
Barack Obama, the US president, has despatched George Mitchell to the region to discuss the ceasefire efforts.
Speaking on Monday Obama said he had instructed Mitchell, who played a prominent role in the Northern Ireland peace process, to "engage vigorously" to achieve real progress between Israel and the Palestinians.
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