Israel Cancels Gaza Border Opening Following Hamas Attack
By VOA News
24 December 2008
Palestinian gunmen have fired a barrage of rockets and mortars into southern Israel, hurting chances of renewing a cease-fire between the Jewish state and the militant group Hamas.
The Israeli army says militants launched about 60 rockets and mortar shells Wednesday. Officials say one of the rockets hit a house in the city of Ashkelon, about 15 kilometers north of Gaza.
No casualties were reported.
In Gaza, two militants were killed and at least three Palestinian civilians were wounded by explosives that apparently misfired.
The latest Palestinian attacks prompted Israel to cancel plans to allow deliveries of supplies into the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Israel had said it would allow humanitarian aid and commercial goods to enter the territory Wednesday out of respect for a temporary cease-fire with Hamas.
But Israel called off the deliveries after Hamas attacked the Jewish state Wednesday in retaliation for the killing of three militants by the Israeli army Tuesday.
The unrest ended a period of calm Hamas had agreed to at the suggestion of Egyptian mediators.
Israel has threatened a major military campaign in Gaza if Hamas continues to attack the Jewish state. However, Hamas and Israeli officials say they want to avoid that.
Israel has said its foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, will meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo Thursday for talks about a new truce in Gaza.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
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