A spokesman for al-Qassam Brigades, armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), said on Wednesday that the group has developed a new homemade rocket with longer range.

On Tuesday, the brigades launched for the first time a newly- developed rocket into an empty school in Israel's coastal city of Ashkelon, 15 km from Gaza-Israel northern border.

"That rocket was locally developed by engineers of al-Qassam Brigades and it is especially designated to target Ashkelon," Abu Obeida told reporters.

He said that the new type of rocket will be used to "deter Israel from striking Palestinian civil institutions and to halt its crazy actions in Gaza."

Israel launched a large-scale military offensive against the Gaza Strip in late June to rescue abducted soldier Gilad Shalit.

Asked about the whereabout of the kidnapped soldier, Abu Obeida said only that the soldier was kept "in a secret place."

Three Palestinian militant groups taking Shalit hostage on Tuesday announced an end to talks over the crisis after Israel rejected the kidnappers' ultimatum to free Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails before 6:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Tuesday.

Source: Xinhua