Palestinian militants launch attacks on Jewish settlements

Palestinian militants on Wednesday launched attacks against several Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip as preparations were underway for the presidential election due on Jan. 9.

The militants said in separate leaflets that several Jewish settlements were attacked on Wednesday by homemade mortar shells and rockets.

According to Israeli army sources, no casualties were reported.

Ezzedein al Qassam, the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), said that its militants fired three Qassam rockets at the Jewish settlement of Dogit in northern Gaza Strip, and its militants also clashed with Israeli soldiers.

Izzedein al Qassam, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), claimed responsibility for firing rockets and homemade mortar shells at several Jewish settlements west of the town of Kahn Younis in southern Gaza Strip.

"We warn generals of the enemy's army (the Israeli army) that our rockets and mortars and our martyrs (suicide bombers) are everywhere and that our resistance will evict the enemy out of our lands," said the group said in a leaflet.

In addition, a huge explosion was heard on Wednesday as a roadside bomb blew up when an Israeli army vehicle passed near the border between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, Palestinian witnesses said.

It was still unclear if there was any casualty.

Earlier, Hamas and Jihad declared to reject a truce proposal by Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee Mahmoud Abbas on temporarily suspending attacks against Israel till the presidential election is held on Jan. 9 next year.