GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians, comprising seven militants, a three-year-old girl and another civilian, in fighting across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, medics and witnesses said.

Israel has stepped up air strikes and launched raids into Gaza to stop rocket attacks and recover a soldier captured by militants on June 25. The army has killed 129 Palestinians since it began its assault. About half were civilians.

This was the IDF's mode of operation since ages (and often Hezbollah's and Hamas's too): whenever there is a sign of advancement to a peaceful solution on the other side, let's provoke 'em another time...

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}