FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN BEER SHEVA

LEAKS FROM ISRAELI military sources in Jerusalem suggest that much of the country’s military and intelligence community responsible for the Gaza Strip may have been attending a desert rave when Hamas launched its latest attack yesterday.

The rave itself was the subject of an assault and the ability of Hamas to breach what was believe to be an impregnable Israeli security presence has led to speculation that a sizable portion of Israel’s force in the area was distracted.

“We are looking into reports that the rave was actually organized by Hamas,” said an unnamed Shin Bet agent. “I was there myself and I thought I recognized one or two of the organizers. Then the shooting started and I just ran like hell.”