/world
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A rocket fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza on Monday struck a house in southern Israel, killing one woman, according to Israeli medical emergency services.
The attack came as Egypt's top intelligence official tried to negotiate an end to the violence between Israel and militants in Hamas-controlled Gaza.
It was the second fatal strike on Israel in recent days.
A mortar attack from Gaza on Friday killed an Israeli man in his yard in southern Israel and wounded three others, the Israel Defense Forces said.
There has been a steady increase in rocket and mortar launchings from Gaza since Hamas took control of Gaza last year, but the strikes rarely cause casualties.
Militants in Gaza have launched approximately 2,000 mortars and rockets since the start of 2008, about the same number as were launched in all of 2007.
The Israeli military responds to the attacks by carrying out airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza that target militants, but often lead to civilian casualties -- further inflaming the Palestinian leadership.
Egypt's top intelligence official, Omar Suleiman, met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other Israeli officials on Monday in Jerusalem.
He hopes to end the Gaza-Israel violence, which threatens a broader attempt to negotiate a peace agreement with the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank.
Suleiman said releasing Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was captured by Gaza militants nearly two years ago, is central to any agreement.
"We hope that with this package which we are working [on] that we will make indirect negotiation between the Israelis and the people who are abducting Gilad Shalit to release him, to make a new atmosphere for continuing the negotiation for [a] two-state solution," he said.
All About Israel • Palestinian Politics • Egypt
| Most Viewed | Most Emailed |
| Most Viewed | Most Emailed |
From the Blogs: 
Sit tight, we're getting to the good stuff
