GAZA STRIP (BNO NEWS) – A rocket fired from Gaza on Friday struck close to an apartment building in the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon while two mortar shells exploded in western Negev, but no casualties were reported, local media reported.

A Grad-Type Katyusha rocket was fired by militants of the Popular Resistance Committee (PRC) armed group from the Gaza Strip. The Russian rocket hit the populated city just after 8:30 a.m. local time. The blast caused damage to an apartment building and to some parked cars.

There were no fatalities in the incident and two people were treated for shock. Residents said that the color red rocket alert sounded before the explosion occurred.

Hours later, at 12:30 p.m. local time, two mortar shells hit the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council in west Negev.

Ashkelon had not been attacked for months, after Israel launched a three-week military campaign in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in 2008. Hamas said that they have tried to stop militants from firing at Israel but smaller groups continue the attacks.

Armed members of Salah al-Dein Brigades, the armed wing of the PRC, were the responsible party for the rocket attack in Ashkelon. The group said that this action was a continuation of the Jihad (Holy War) and a sign of resistance.

(Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)