2 Israelis killed in rocket attack in Ashkelon

JERUSALEM

Two Israelis were killed Tuesday when a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a house in Ashkelon, according to Israeli media.

One was killed by a shell that directly hit the house. And an Israeli woman was killed and five others were injured in the rocket attack, according to Channel 12.

There was no comment from Israeli police about the attack.

The television station reported that Palestinians fired 137 rockets from the Gaza Strip at Ashdod, Ashkelon, and areas within five minutes.

Until Tuesday, at least 26 Palestinians were killed, including nine children, and scores injured in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army claimed that it has targeted 130 positions in Gaza, killing 15 members of the Hamas group in strikes.

The army said late Monday that it launched the Guardian of the Walls military operation to respond to what it said was rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

Tension moved from East Jerusalem to Gaza after Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza vowed to retaliate for Israeli assaults on Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, if the attacks are not halted.

*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara.