Gaza rocket kills Israeli woman

By · May 12, 2008

An Israeli woman was killed by a rocket fired from Gaza, and military-grade rockets also struck Ashkelon.

Initial reports described the woman as a resident of Yesha, an Israeli town just east of central Gaza. She died Monday of wounds sustained from a rocket strike on a building. She was the second Israeli to be killed by shelling from Gaza in the last few days.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Also on Monday, Palestinian terrorists fired two military-grade rockets at the Israeli city of Ashkelon, causing light damage but no casualties.

It was the first time in almost two months that a Palestinian rocket salvo had reached so deep into Israel. It came as Egypt pressed the Olmert government to consider a truce with the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that Israel would hold Hamas – which is believed to be the only Gaza faction with ready access to Grads – responsible for violence. Political sources said Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Egyptian official Omar Suleiman that a new Israeli offensive in Gaza soon may be required to deal with the threat.