Mortar shells land near southern kibbutz
Violations of ceasefire in Gaza vicinity continue: Palestinians fire two mortars into Israel on Friday morning. One lands near Kfar Aza; no injuries or damage reported
Ongoing fire: Two mortar shells were fired from the northern Gaza Strip into Israel on Friday morning. One landed near Kibbutz Kfar Aza in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, and the second one hit an open area.
There were no reports of injuries or damage.
On Thursday afternoon, a Qassam rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, exploding near a gas station in an open area in Sderot's industrial zone. There were no injuries.
The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Fatah's military wing, claimed responsibility for firing the rocket. Sources in Gaza estimated that the incident was aimed at embarrassing Hamas and harming the efforts to maintain the truce with Israel.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni addressed the launching of a Qassam rocket from Gaza towards Sderot on Thursday with sharp, stinging rhetoric aimed at differentiating herself from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
"I don't care who fired. There must be an immediate military response to every violation," said Livni upon the commencement of her meeting with Norwegian Jonas Gahr Støre."I have made my position clear to both the prime minister and the minister of defense after the first infringement. And I intend to make this clear to my foreign counterparts as well."
On Tuesday, Palestinians launched three rockets towards Sderot. One of the Qassams landed in a house's backyard, causing great damage. Two women suffered from shock.
The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack. Prime Minister Olmert responded to the barrage angrily, saying "this is a blatant and unequivocal violation of the understandings reached as part of the truce."
