GAZA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Militants of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Holy War) claimed responsibility on Tuesday for launching two homemade rockets from the northern Gaza Strip at a southern Israeli town without causing damages or injuries.

    Palestinian witnesses and security sources, meanwhile, said that dozens of Israeli artillery shells landed at empty area in northern Gaza, causing no casualties.

    Saraya al-Quds, the armed ring of the Islamic Jihad, said in a leaflet that its militants fired two homemade rockets at the Israeli coast town of Ashkelon, adding that red alarm was activated near the targeted areas.

    "Our militants returned safe, although F16 fighter jets flew over the area," the leaflet said, adding that this attack was to affirm that the Islamic Jihad would continue retaliation for the daily Zionist crimes against the Palestinian people.

    Palestinian security sources said that the Israeli army closed down the commercial crossing of Karni on the borders between eastern Gaza City and Israel on Tuesday for security reasons, cutting movement of goods.

    The Palestinians in the Gaza Strip depend on the sole crossing to get their daily essential needs. Enditem