By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israel holds Hamas responsible for every rocket fired at its southern communities by militant groups in the Gaza Strip, local Ha’aretz reported on Thursday.
“When another group publicly takes responsibility, as happened earlier today, such a group could not be shooting rockets without the acquiescence and collaboration of Hamas,” Mark Regev, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, was quoted as saying.
“We will not allow Hamas to sub-contract out terrorism,” he said.
At least fifteen Qassam rockets were launched at southern Israel overnight from the strip. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for firing the rockets, saying that the barrage was an “initial response” to Israeli army’s killing of four militants in Bethlehem.
Thursday morning’s barrage marks the first rocket attack since mid-day Tuesday, when Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a rocket at Ashkelon shortly after Olmert visited the southern city.
Rockets fire from Gaza largely subsided since March 3, when Israeli army put an end to a five-day offensive against Gaza, in which more than 120 Palestinians were killed.
Olmert conditioned the halt of attacks against Gaza on no more rocket fire, but Israel said that its raids in the West Bank are needed to stop militants from striking.