JERUSALEM, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A Palestinian was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza after phosphorous shells, mortar shells and Qassam rockets were fired at Israel, the Israeli army said.
Israeli police officials said Wednesday afternoon that of the nine mortar shells fired at southern Israel during the day, two were identified as being phosphorous shells, the daily Maariv newspaper said.
Haim Yellin, head of the Eshkol regional council where the mortar and phosphorous shells exploded during the day, said the council plans to submit a complaint to the United Nations. Yellin said international law prevents firing phosphorous shells at civilians, the paper said.
The Palestinian killed in the air strike on a smuggling tunnel in Rafah near the border with Egypt was identified as Wajdi al-Qadi, 21 of Rafah, the Palestinian Ma'an News Agency said.
The military confirmed it had bombed the tunnel and said a secondary explosion occurred after the tunnel was hit.
No damages or injuries were reported in Israel.
Early Wednesday morning, a Qassam rocket exploded south of the city of Ashkelon. Israeli security forces searched for the site where the second rocket fell.
A Palestinian was killed and four others wounded Tuesday after shooting an anti-tank rocket at soldiers deployed near the Gaza border fence. The army said no soldiers were injured in the attack and the military responded by firing tank shells and light weapons at the attackers.
The army said the attackers are affiliated with an al-Qaida group in Gaza.
Ahmed Jaabari, a senior Hamas operative in Gaza, threatened Tuesday to increase attacks against Israel to derail the current round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
"With the power of faith, weapons and missiles, tunnels and commandos we will achieve victory for Palestine and we'll end the occupation in Gaza too," Ma'an quoted Jaabari saying.
In the past week Palestinian groups in Gaza have fired rockets and mortar shells at southern Israel daily.
