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Israeli Army: Palestinian Rocket Lands in Southern Israel


The Israeli army says a rocket fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip Thursday, landed in southern Israel.

There are no reported injuries, but the incident represents another test of a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas.

Israel kept border crossings with Gaza closed for the second day Thursday in response to rockets fired by Islamic Jihad militants earlier this week.

Hamas says the border shutdown violates the terms of the truce, under which Israel committed to gradually increase the flow of basic supplies into Gaza. The Palestinian territory has been under an Israeli blockade for a year.

In another development, an Israeli official is due to meet with Egyptian mediators in Cairo Thursday for talks on the possible release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured by Hamas two years ago.

Israeli officials say Egypt has pledged to keep its Rafah border crossing with Gaza closed until a deal is reached on the soldier's release.

Hamas has agreed to release Shalit if Israel frees some 350 Palestinian prisoners. Israel has agreed to release 70, but has refused to free top militants accused of planning deadly suicide bombings.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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