MID: Barrage of rockets after six killed in Gaza: military
05 Nov 2008 6:20 PMMID: Barrage of rockets after six killed in Gaza: military
JERUSALEM, Nov 5 AFP - Dozens of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel hours after six Palestinians were killed in Israeli military operations in the Hamas-ruled territory, the Israeli army and Palestinian medics said today.
There was no immediate report of casualties from the rocket fire.
"Thirty-five rockets were fired this morning from the Gaza Strip against southern Israel," the spokeswoman said.
"During the night another 19 rockets were fired at Israel," she said.
The rocket fire followed Israeli military operations, including two air raids, that marked the most serious incident since a truce brokered by Egypt went into effect in and around Gaza on June 19 after months of deadly violence.
Four Israeli soldiers were lightly wounded in firefights with Palestinians,the army said.
A Palestinian identified as a Hamas fighter was killed and three other militants were wounded in a shootout with an Israeli army unit just inside the Gaza Strip last night, Palestinian emergency services said.
A military spokesman said the Israeli unit was deployed close to the border"after the discovery of a tunnel aimed at abducting soldiers".
Another five Palestinians were later killed in Israeli air raids near the towns of Dir el Balah and El Bureij, Palestinian medics said.
An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the air raids, adding that they targeted armed groups firing mortars.
He said the Israeli operation was not in violation of a June ceasefire agreement between Israel and armed Palestinian groups.
Unidentified Palestinians fired mortars at Israeli territory, without causing casualties or damage yesterday, a military official said.
At least 545 people - nearly all of them Palestinians - have been killed since Israeli-Palestinian peace talks were revived at an international conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November 2007, according to an AFP tally.
AFP apm =0A