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Hamas militants launch more rockets into Israel Written by Egypt News Wednesday, 24 December 2008 Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired rockets into Israel on Wednesday to avenge the killing of three gunmen by Israeli troops, dampening hopes of a renewed truce

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said one of the rockets -- most of which fall in open ground -- struck a house in Ashkelon, north of the Gaza Strip. There was no immediate report of casualties.

The latest round of violence erupted on Tuesday when Israeli soldiers killed three gunmen of the Islamist Hamas group which controls Gaza. Militants responded by showering southern Israel with rockets and mortar shells.
The Israeli army said militants fired at least seven rockets and 10 mortar shells on Wednesday. The salvoes prompted Israel to reverse a decision to allow aid supplies in to the Hamas-run enclave through border crossings controlled by the military.
"In light of extensive rocket fire, the crossings will remain closed," said Israeli Defence Ministry official Peter Lerner. He said they would remain closed until further notice.
Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant groups claimed responsibility for the rockets, which they said were in response to Israel's killing of the three Palestinian gunmen on Tuesday.
The Israeli army said the gunmen were preparing to plant explosives at the border fence. They were killed in gunfire by troops who crossed into Gaza.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, whose country brokered the six-month truce that expired on Friday, is expected to discuss prospects of restoring calm during talks in Cairo on Thursday with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
Israel and Hamas have both signalled interest in extending the truce, but both sides are trying to push for new terms.
They have traded blame over the ceasefire's collapse in early November. Hamas said Israel had failed to make good on its undertaking to ease its blockade of the Gaza Strip by allowing in more food and medical supplies to alleviate severe shortages.
Israel wants the Islamists to halt rocket fire. Israeli media reported on Wednesday that Israel would also want to tie any future truce agreement to the fate of an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas and held in Gaza.
Hamas and other militants kidnapped Corporal Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid in June 2006 and spirited him to Gaza. Israel has balked at Hamas demands to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in return for Shalit.
Israeli leaders gave the army scope for wider attacks on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in a bid to stem rocket attacks -- a goal previous operations failed to achieve.
But with a parliamentary election due on Feb. 10, Israeli leaders would be reluctant to sanction a major operation that is certain to cause heavy casualties on both sides.