An Israeli man was killed overnight after a rocket from the Gaza Strip struck the city of Ashkelon, police and media said Sunday. Police said the man died from critical wounds suffered in the rocket strike after being taken to hospital. Israeli media identified the man as Moshe Agadi, 60, and said the rocket hit the Israeli's home in the city near the Gaza border. He was the first Israeli killed in the flare-up of violence that began Saturday, with one Palestinian killed earlier in the day as the fragile ceasefire again faltered. More than 250 rockets have been fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip since Saturday, Israel's military says, and Israel has responded with air and tank strikes. On Saturday one woman was seriously injured in a rocket strike on the Israeli city of Kiryat Gat, some 20 kilometres (13 miles) from the Gaza border, police said. The Gaza health ministry reported one person killed and seven wounded. An Israeli airstrike hits Gaza City on Saturday in retaliation for the rocket fire Credit: Hatem Moussa/ AP The latest flare-up came with Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules the blockaded Gaza Strip, seeking further concessions from Israel under the ceasefire. The attacks come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently engaged in tough negotiations to form a new government following last month's election, while Israel is due to host the Eurovision song contest in Tel Aviv from May 14-18. Palestinians have participated in regular demonstrations and clashes along the Gaza border for more than a year, calling on Israel to ease its crippling blockade of the enclave. At least 270 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began in March 2018, the majority along the border. Two Israeli soldiers have been killed in that period. Saturday's escalation follows the most violent clashes along the Gaza border in weeks on Friday. Four Palestinians, including two Hamas militants, were killed after two Israeli soldiers were wounded in a shooting during weekly protests on the border. The Israeli army said it had targeted two rocket launchers in Gaza with an air strike in response to Saturday morning's attacks and its tanks had hit a number of military posts used by Hamas. Israel announced on Saturday it was closing its goods and people crossings with the Gaza Strip. The brother of Palestinian militant Emad Naseer, who was killed in an Israeli air strike Credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/ REUTERS A statement from Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, allied to Hamas, claimed responsibility for at least some of the rocket fire and said it was prepared for more if necessary. A source in the group said Egypt was engaged in discussions to calm the situation, as it has done repeatedly in the past. Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have fought three wars since 2008 and fears remain of a fourth. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brokered by Egypt and the United Nations had led to relative calm around Israel's April 9 general election. But on Tuesday, Israel reduced the offshore fishing limit it imposes for vessels operating out of Gaza after a rocket was fired from the territory. Israel's army blamed Islamic Jihad for the rocket, which fell into the Mediterranean. On Thursday, Israel said its aircraft struck a Hamas military compound after balloons carrying firebombs and explosives were launched across the border. The results of a UN investigation released at the end of February found that Israel may have committed crimes against humanity in responding to the border protests, as snipers "intentionally" shot civilians including children, journalists and the disabled. Israel rejected the report "outright" but Hamas called for Israel to be held accountable.
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