Hamas fired their longest-range rockets at a southern Israel city on Friday after an Israeli air force attack on their Gaza stronghold, in the 11th day of skirmishes threatening a five-month-old truce. The armed wing of the Hamas group said it fired five Grad rockets at an Israeli city, the longest-range weapon it has used against the Jewish state. Israel said they hit Ashkelon, north of Gaza on the Mediterranean coast, with no casualties.
Israel and Hamas blamed each other for the flare-up since November 4, in which 12 Hamas militants have been killed by Israeli forces 4 and scores of rockets fired into Israel. But both shied away from declaring an end to the Egyptian-brokered truce.
"We will continue to forcefully defend Israeli soldiers and citizens, to thwart attempts to stage attacks when we discover them," said Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak. "At the same time, if the other side wants to continue the calm we will definitely give it positive consideration."
Hamas took a similar stand. "Up to this moment we are committed to the cease-fire," said Mahmoud al-Zahar, a Hamas leader. The 1960s-era Soviet-made Grad rocket has a range of 25 km (15 miles). Two of them struck Ashkelon. Earlier, Palestinian medics said two Hamas fighters were wounded in an Israeli air force strike, which a military spokesman said was in response to an earlier rocket attack. Hamas said it fired 8 shorter-range Kassam rockets in response, aimed at the city of Sderot.
Two Kassams hit, causing damage to buildings, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. One Israeli was treated for shrapnel wounds, and a number of people suffered shock. The clashes halted before sundown on Friday, as the Muslim day of prayer ended and the Jewish sabbath began. Israel's caretaker prime minister, Ehud Olmert, was due to consult defence chiefs about the "escalation", his spokesman said.
Israel has closed border crossings with Gaza, halting food and fuel supplies to the blockaded enclave, between Israel and Egypt on the Mediterranean coast. Hamas who control the territory do not recognise Israel's right to exist. An Israeli official said they would remain shut for now.
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