Hamas says it fired rockets at Israel from Gaza

Gaza, Apr 24: The armed wing of the militant group Hamas said today it had launched rockets into Israel from Gaza to avenge Israeli attacks on West Bank Palestinians, in what would be its first such strikes in five months.

An Israeli army spokesman said six mortar shells were fired from the Gaza Strip early today and had fallen in Israel but he could not confirm rocket strikes. There were no reports of casualties.

Hamas, which won a parliamentary election last year, had agreed to a ceasefire in November but had said it would respond to killings of Palestinians. Israel shot dead nine Palestinians, including five militants, in the West Bank over the weekend.

Hamas's armed wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam said in a statement it had fired 25 rockets and 30 mortar shells from southern and central Gaza ''in reaction to the continued Zionist crimes against our people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.'' Palestinian militants in Gaza often fire rockets towards Israel, usually following Israeli attacks against Palestinians.

Hamas says it has not launched rockets since the truce but last month claimed a Gaza border shooting and mortar shell attacks.

Reuters>