GAZA, Jan. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian militants on Saturday shelled the Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip as the newly-elected Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is to be sworn in later in the day.

    Al Qassam Brigades, armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), said in a leaflet that its militants had fired four mortar shells at two Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.

    "Resistance will never stop as long as Israel keeps its military aggressions against our people and continues occupying our territories," said Hamas in the leaflet.

    Meanwhile, Israeli Army Radio reported that the Kfra Darom settlement, east of the central Gaza Strip town of Deir el Ballahthere, was under rocket attack, causing severe damage but no injuries.

    In addition, Palestinian militants fired several homemade rockets on the Morag settlement lying between Rafah and Khan Younisin the southern Gaza Strip.

    Abbas, who was chosen as successor to late Yasser Arafat in the Palestinian presidential election on Jan.9, will take oath of office on Saturday.

    However, the inauguration is overshadowed by continuous bloodshed as Palestinian militants killed six Israelis on Thursday in a suicide bomb attack on the Karni passage between Gaza and Israel.

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