Palestinian militants fired rockets into Israel early Wednesday, a day before an Egyptian-brokered shaky ceasefire takes effect between Hamas and Israel in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
The Islamic Jihad movement claimed responsibility for the attack which involved the firing of nine rockets into Sderot city in southern Israel.
"The operation comes in retaliation for the Israeli aggressions against our people and to strengthen the choice of resistance," the group said in a statement sent to the media.
Late on Tuesday, Hamas announced that the ceasefire would start at 6:00 am (0300 GMT) on Thursday and will last for six months.
Three days after the beginning of the lull, Israel will start easing the blockade it imposed on the coastal Strip last June when Hamas took over the territory by force.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose forces lost control on Gaza during last year fighting against Hamas, welcomed the ceasefire and said it bears a national interest.
The lull is awaited to end Israeli army attacks into Gaza, which increased after the Hamas takeover, and at least it allows goods into the impoverished territory.
As for Rafah travelers crossing point, Israel said it will not open unless it reaches a deal with Hamas releasing a captive soldier kidnapped by Hamas two years ago.
Meanwhile, some Palestinian factions were unsatisfied with the ceasefire deal in which Hamas negotiated Israel via Egyptian mediators. However, the groups said they will not obstruct the lull.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said that the ceasefire articles which Hamas declared Tuesday "were less than what Hamas has earlier told to the PFLP."
"Despite all of this, we will not play a role in hindering the Hamas deal in order to ease the internal Palestinian situation and to let Hamas know the wrong policy they follow here," said Rabah Mhana, a PFLP leader in Gaza.
On Wednesday morning, the armed wing of the PFLP confirmed it launched two home-made rockets into Western Negev territories in southern Israel.
Daoud Shehab, a spokesman for the Islamic Jihad, said his movement "will monitor the ceasefire and will abide by it as long as Israel respects it." He added that the Islamic Jihad will not prevent the activation of the lull.
Source:Xinhua
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