Hamas Militants Fire Rockets Into Southern Israel

Hamas militants in Gaza fired several rockets into southern Israel today, while Israel kept its crossings into the territory closed as a five-month ceasefire appeared to be collapsing fast.

Violence has returned to the Gaza Strip in the past 10 days. In two separate operations Israeli forces have killed a total of 10 Hamas gunmen. Hamas, and other militant groups, have responded with several days of rocket fire. Today rockets, including longer-range Grad missiles, hit the Israeli towns of Sderot and Ashkelon. The Israeli military fired at rocket launchers in Gaza and two Palestinian gunmen were reported injured.

Israel kept its crossings into Gaza shut for the 10th straight day, meaning no food, humanitarian supplies or fuel were delivered. Gaza's sole power plant shut down on Thursday night bringing some blackouts in Gaza City, although electricity delivered over power lines from Israel and Egypt continues to arrive.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which supports Palestinian refugees, halted its food distribution to 750,000 Gazans because its warehouses had run out of food. As many as 20,000 Palestinians were due to collect their regular food baskets tomorrow but will be turned away empty handed. "Until we are re-supplied, we won't have food," said John Ging, head of operations for UNRWA in Gaza. Israel has prevented journalists from entering Gaza for the past 10 days.

It was still unclear whether the ceasefire might yet be salvaged. Ehud Barak, Israel's defence minister, said: "We will keep protecting our soldiers and people and keep acting against attempts to interrupt the ceasefire, but if the other side will want or wish to keep the ceasefire alive, we'll consider it seriously."

The truce, which was agreed through Egyptian mediation, has lasted since mid-June and was intended to run for at least six months; while Palestinians hoped it might eventually extend to the occupied West Bank, this always seemed unlikely.

In Gaza, Hamas took responsibility for firing the rockets. "The resistance ... is able to hit the Zionist depth," said Hamas lawmaker Mushir al-Masri. "Either there's full commitment to the truce and all its conditions, or the resistance will have a position on every Zionist crime." Mahmoud Zahar, the most senior Hamas leader in Gaza, said in a Friday sermon: "If you want to leave the truce, we are ready. And if you want to continue it, then abide by it."

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU commissioner for external relations, said she was "profoundly concerned" about the closure of the crossings and pressed for a halt to the violence. "I call on Israel to re-open the crossings for humanitarian and commercial flows, in particular food and medicines," she said in a statement.