Israeli soldiers shot dead a 14-year-old Palestinian in the Gaza Strip and killed a 38-year-old man in the West Bank, casting a shadow over tentative efforts to resume talks on finally implementing a so far unheeded ceasefire.
And as Israel's Foreign Minister Shimon Peres indicated a channel of dialogue had opened, at least two Israeli missiles slammed into a Palestinian security post in Gaza late last night. Today Mohammed Abu Arrar had been among a group of Palestinian youths throwing stones towards Israeli tanks in Rafah on the Egypt-Gaza border when the soldiers opened fire.
In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers shot at a group of Palestinians trying to avoid a checkpoint by walking along an unpaved road near the Palestinian-ruled city of Nablus, hospital officials in the town said.One of the group, Mr Mu'in Abu Lawyeh, was killed and five others were wounded.The Israeli army declined immediate comment. Fierce fighting erupted between Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip overnight.At least two Israeli missiles slammed into a Palestinian security post in Gaza late last night and only hours earlier Palestinians launched seven mortar bombs at a Jewish settlement in the strip. Three Palestinians were wounded in the strike.There were further exchanges after the missile attack, capping a day of fitful violence that largely centred on Gaza.Gunmen from an armed group linked to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction said they had fired mortars after one of their comrades was killed fighting Israeli troops who had been on a raid into Palestinian-ruled Gaza the previous night.
The renewed combat left doubts over the chances for a speedy resolution, despite remarks by Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres that a channel of dialogue had opened with the Palestinians on ending more than 10 months of violence.
Mr Peres said Israeli and Palestinian representatives were conducting conversations on implementing a US-brokered ceasefire which never took hold after being agreed in mid-June.A Palestinian official said Mr Peres had been in contact and that Mr Arafat had passed on a message through foreign envoys that he was prepared to meet Mr Peres whenever he wants.These meetings would be a retreat from the Israeli position that they will not talk politics without an end to violence, the Palestinian said.Mr Peres, an architect of previous peace deals, said he expected to meet with Arafat but did not say when.