Gaza City/Tel Aviv - Palestinian militants launched at least five Gaza-made rockets at southern Israel Wednesday, two of which struck a house and a basketball court in the nearby town of Sderot, an Israeli military spokeswoman said. The military wing of the ruling Palestinian Hamas movement claimed responsibility. No one was injured, but Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was due to hold security consultations Wednesday afternoon on the escalation in the rocket fire.
On Tuesday, Gaza militants fired 24 rockets at Israel, 10 of which struck Sderot, the military said, the highest number of Qassams fired in weeks.
At least 21 Israelis were injured, including a woman who was in serious condition and her two sons, a spokesman for the Magen David Adom ambulance service said. Another 14 people were treated for shock.
Schools were closed in the town Wednesday and some of its residents spent the night in shelters which were opened for the first time.
Israel Radio reported that Defence Minister Amir Peretz, in overnight consultations, authorized the Israel Air Force to step up pre-emptive strikes at the militants launching the rockets.
Referring to the heavy clashes in recent days between Fatah and Hamas militants in Gaza, he said Israel should not interfere in internal Palestinian issues, but it would nevertheless respond "appropriately" to the rocket fire.
Abu Obaida, a spokesman for Hamas military wing, said late Tuesday that his movement stepped up the rocket fire to mark the 59th anniversary of the Nakba (catastrophe), the term Palestinians use for the establishment of Israel on May 14, 1948.
