The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement on Saturday claimed responsibility for firing six home- made rockets into Israel after the death of one of its fighters.

In a statement sent to media, the armed wing of the less- influential Islamic group said the rockets mainly targeted Israel' s coastal city of Ashkelon, Sderot and Eshkol community around the Gaza Strip.

Israeli sources said that a number of missiles landed on Western Negev on Saturday, causing no damage or casualties.

In the meantime, Palestinian paramedics said Mahmoud Fattouh, 25, was killed in an explosion in northern Gaza Strip. The Islamic Jihad said Fattouh was one of its rocket squad members and accused Israel of killing him.

The movement said it fired the rockets also in response to the killing of three fighters by Israel in the past couple of days.

The Islamic Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, now awaits a resumption of Egyptian efforts to broker a ceasefire in the territory.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2009)