Israel denies Gaza strike that killed terrorist

The IDF on Saturday denied carrying out an air strike near Beit Hanun which Palestinian medics claim killed two people, the Jerusalem Post reports. The Israel Defense Forces, IDF, said it was not operating in the area in recent hours, and that the alleged explosion was likely to have resulted from a work accident. Israel denies Gaza strike that killed terrorist The terrorist group Popular Resistance Committees said one of the dead was a member, and the identity of the other man was not confirmed. Meanwhile, Kassam fire from the Gaza Strip on the western Negev continued overnight Friday, Israel Radio reported Saturday morning. The landing points of the rockets, according to the radio report, could not yet be publicized. As a result of the recent salvos, all the border crossings with Gaza remained closed to deliveries of fuel and other essentials on Saturday. The Sderot, Asheklon and Sha'ar Hanegev regions all came under rocket attack on Friday. Five Grad-type Katyusha rockets were fired at the Ashkelon region on Friday afternoon, one of which hit the city center and another that landed on its outskirts. Three more struck open areas. Shortly afterwards, another Kassam rocket landed in a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, and a mortar shell exploded near the Kissufim area. Three people suffered from shock as a result of the attack and were evacuated to Ashkelon's Barzilai Hospital. Earlier Friday, Gaza terrorists fired ten Kassams at the South, one of which lightly wounded an elderly woman in a Sha'ar Hanegev kibbutz. Four others suffered from shock, while several homes, cars and a chicken coop were damaged in the attack. Another rocket struck an electrical pole near a Sderot home, sending several people into shock, including a schoolchild. The IDF warned residents of communities near Gaza to remain as close as possible to fortified rooms, and police and rescue services announced they were raising their alert level in preparation for more attacks. Hamas claimed responsibility for firing eight of Friday's Kassams as well as the rockets fired at Ashkelon. The Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for most of the rockets fired over the last week. Meanwhile, speaking at the site in Sderot where the Kassams landed, the city's new mayor, David Buskila, called the attacks "intolerable" and said that the government was displaying its "powerlessness and inability" in failing to stop them. "It is sad to be a citizen of a country that cannot deploy its army to give an immediate response to this phenomenon," he added. The Kassam barrage followed an IAF strike in northern Gaza which the army said was aimed at rocket launchers. A Hamas radio station reported that two Islamic Jihad operatives were wounded. Dr. Moaiya Hassanain of the Gaza Health Ministry said the strike was aimed at a Hamas police installation. Israeli tanks drive along the Israel-Gaza border (Beta)

Israel denies Gaza strike that killed terrorist

The terrorist group Popular Resistance Committees said one of the dead was a member, and the identity of the other man was not confirmed.

Meanwhile, Kassam fire from the Gaza Strip on the western Negev continued overnight Friday, Israel Radio reported Saturday morning. The landing points of the rockets, according to the radio report, could not yet be publicized.

As a result of the recent salvos, all the border crossings with Gaza remained closed to deliveries of fuel and other essentials on Saturday.

The Sderot, Asheklon and Sha'ar Hanegev regions all came under rocket attack on Friday.

Five Grad-type Katyusha rockets were fired at the Ashkelon region on Friday afternoon, one of which hit the city center and another that landed on its outskirts.

Three more struck open areas. Shortly afterwards, another Kassam rocket landed in a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, and a mortar shell exploded near the Kissufim area.

Three people suffered from shock as a result of the attack and were evacuated to Ashkelon's Barzilai Hospital.

Earlier Friday, Gaza terrorists fired ten Kassams at the South, one of which lightly wounded an elderly woman in a Sha'ar Hanegev kibbutz.

Four others suffered from shock, while several homes, cars and a chicken coop were damaged in the attack.

Another rocket struck an electrical pole near a Sderot home, sending several people into shock, including a schoolchild.

The IDF warned residents of communities near Gaza to remain as close as possible to fortified rooms, and police and rescue services announced they were raising their alert level in preparation for more attacks.

Hamas claimed responsibility for firing eight of Friday's Kassams as well as the rockets fired at Ashkelon. The Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for most of the rockets fired over the last week.

Meanwhile, speaking at the site in Sderot where the Kassams landed, the city's new mayor, David Buskila, called the attacks "intolerable" and said that the government was displaying its "powerlessness and inability" in failing to stop them.

"It is sad to be a citizen of a country that cannot deploy its army to give an immediate response to this phenomenon," he added.

The Kassam barrage followed an IAF strike in northern Gaza which the army said was aimed at rocket launchers. A Hamas radio station reported that two Islamic Jihad operatives were wounded.

Dr. Moaiya Hassanain of the Gaza Health Ministry said the strike was aimed at a Hamas police installation.