Hamas claims rocket barrage for first time in 5 months

Source: Reuters & Haaretz, 24-04-2007
For the first time in five months, the military wing of Hamas on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a volley of Qassam rockets and mortar shells that struck southern "Israel". The group said the strikes were in revenge for "Israeli" Military operations over the weekend, in which nine Palestinians were killed.
Izz el-Deen al-Qassam said in a statement that Hamas militants launched 40 rockets and 70 mortar shells from the Gaza Strip "in reaction to the continued Zionist crimes against our people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip."
An "Israeli" Military spokesman said six mortar shells fired from the Gaza Strip early Tuesday had fallen in "Israel". The army also confirmed seven attempts to fire Qassams at "Israel", but that only two rockets had landed in "Israeli" territory.
There were no reports of casualties, but minor damage was caused to some agricultural structures in the western Negev.
Hamas, which won a parliamentary election last year, had agreed to a cease-fire in November, but had warned it would respond to killings of Palestinians.
The group called Sunday for new attacks on "Israel" after the nine Palestinians, including five militants, were killed by "Israeli" Military troops in a 24-hour surge of violence.
The group had said its rockets were fired from central and south Gaza, but later said more were launched from the north and that they targeted "Israeli" Military bases and communities.
Hamas says it has not launched rockets since the truce, but last month claimed a Gaza border shooting and mortar shell attacks.