A/HRC/12/48 page 68 252. During September, the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza through the crossing increased, with levels of imports at 37 per cent of the May 2007 level. The Sufa crossing closed on 13 September 2008 and goods were redirected through Kerem Shalom, as Israel stated that it intended to have only one goods crossing open at any one time.124 253. In October 2008, Israeli sources stated that only one rocket and one mortar were fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip.125 There was a 30 per cent decline in imports allowed into Gaza by Israel as compared to September 2008, partly due to the closure of the crossings during the Jewish holidays. Imports were at 26 per cent of the level of May 2007. Tunnels under the Rafah border reportedly proliferated during this period and allowed the entry of otherwise unavailable goods. Collapsing tunnels continued to cause casualties.126 254. After two months in which few incidents were reported, the ceasefire began to founder on 4 November 2008 following an incursion by Israeli soldiers into the Gaza Strip, which Israel stated was to close a cross-border tunnel that in Israel’s view was intended to be used by Palestinian fighters to kidnap Israeli soldiers. The soldiers attacked a house in the Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah, which was alleged to be the starting point of the tunnel, killing a member of the al-Qassam Brigades. Several Israeli soldiers were wounded. In response, the alQassam Brigades fired more than 30 Qassam rockets into Israel. Israel responded with an air strike that left a further five members of the al-Qassam Brigades dead. Both sides blamed the other for the escalation of violence. Hamas also accused Israel of trying to disrupt talks between Hamas and Fatah that were scheduled for the following week in Cairo.127 Israel closed the crossings into the Gaza Strip on 5 November 2008 and they remained closed until 24 November 2008, when they were opened briefly to allow humanitarian supplies to enter.128 255. According to the Israeli internal intelligence service (known as Shin Bet or Shabak), 22 rockets and nine mortars were fired into Israel between 5 and 12 November 2008.129 The crossings into the Gaza Strip remained closed during this time. On 14 November 2008, Amnesty 123 “The six months…”. OCHA, The Humanitarian Monitor, No. 29 (September 2008), available at: http://www.ochaopt.org/ documents/ocha_opt_humanitarian_monitor_2008_10_1_english.pdf. 124 Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center, “Summary of rocket fire and mortar shelling in 2008”, January 2009. 125 OCHA, The Humanitarian Monitor, No. 30 (October 2008), available at: http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ ocha_opt_humanitarian_monitor_oct_2008_10_english.pdf. 126 The Guardian, “Gaza truce broken as Israeli raid kills six Hamas gunmen”, 5 November 2008, available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/05/israelandthepalestinians; The Times, “Six die in Israeli attack over Hamas ‘tunnel under border to kidnap soldier’”, 6 November 2008, available at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/ tol/news/world/middle_east/article5089940.ece. A Hamas spokesman was quoted as saying “The Israelis began this tension and they must pay an expensive price” while an Israeli spokesman stated “this operation was in response to a Hamas intrusion of the quiet”. 127 JTA, “Israel closes Gaza crossings after attack”, 25 November 2008, available at http://jta.org/news/articleprint/2008/11/25/1001205/israel-closes-gaza-crossings-after-attack?TB_iframe=true&width=750&height=500. 128 Israel Security Agency, “Weekly update, November 5-12, 2008”, available at http://www.shabak.gov.il/ SiteCollectionImages/english/TerrorInfo/weekly-update-12-11-08-En.pdf. 129