JERUSALEM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Militants in the Gaza Strip on Sunday continued firing rockets at Israel despite the formation of a new Palestinian coalition government, local daily Yediaoth Ahronoth reported.

    Five Qassam rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip on Sunday in three different barrages, one of which landed near a strategic facility in the southern city of Ashkelon, said the daily.

    The rest fell in the south of Ashkelon and in open areas in western Negev, the daily said, adding there were no reports of injuries.

    Al-Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihad's military wing claimed responsibility for the attacks.

    A senior member of the group was quoted as saying that his organization would continue to fire rockets as long as Israel continued its attacks, invasion upon West Bank cities and villages, and assassinations of the group members in recent weeks.

    Regarding the ongoing rocket attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said during Sunday's cabinet meeting that there were additional reasons to be disappointed with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but Israeli ties with him would nonetheless continue.

    One day after the formation of the new Palestinian national unity government, Olmert on Sunday called on the international community to continue boycotting it, while promising to continue contact with the moderate Abbas.