Gaza Militants Fire into Israel as Border Tension Rises

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Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip launched new mortar fire into Israel on Friday morning, the Israeli army said, fueling cross-border tensions for a third day.

"Mortar rounds were once again fired at forces near Gaza border. No injuries reported," a military statement said.

An army spokeswoman told Agence France Presse there was no immediate return of fire from the Israeli side.

On Thursday, Israeli tank fire killed a Palestinian woman in her Gaza home in the worst clashes between the army and Hamas fighters since a devastating 2014 war.

Since the clashes broke out on Wednesday, Hamas and other militant groups have fired at least 10 mortar rounds across the frontier, and the Israeli air force has carried out at least three air strikes into Gaza.

Israeli tanks stationed on the border have also fired repeatedly at what the army said were Hamas targets.

Late on Thursday afternoon, tank fire that followed a mortar attack from the Khan Yunis area in southern Gaza killed Zeina Al-Amour, 54, according to the Nasser hospital that pronounced her death.

A 21-year-old was also wounded in shelling of the area.

The Palestinian attacks targeted Israeli forces searching along the border, and up to 100 metres (yards) inside Gaza, for tunnels crossing into southern Israel.

The army announced that it found a previously undetected tunnel on Thursday, after a first find was revealed with extensive media coverage in mid-April.

The flare-up has raised concerns over the fate of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist rulers of Gaza, that has held since the 50-day war left more than 2,251 Palestinians and 73 Israelis dead.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to convene his security cabinet on Friday morning to discuss the latest developments, public radio reported.

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