Palestinian militants fired several homemade Qassam rockets at the Israeli Negev town of Sderot in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, causing no casualties, Palestinian sources reported.

Ezel Dein al-Qassam, the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) claimed responsibility for the attack in a leaflet sent to reporters.

The brigades said the attack was in response to threats made by a group of Jewish extremists to attack the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest place for Muslims.

"We announce that any attempt to harm Al-Aqsa Mosque means launching a war in all the Palestinian areas and we assert that we will defend the Aqsa with every possible means," the Hamas wing said in the leaflet.

Israel Radio reported that at least two of the homemade Qassam rockets hit its targets in Sderot, causing damage to a house.

A mother and two of her daughters aged six and 18 were transferred to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon for treatment of shock, said the radio.

Source: Xinhua