Israeli airstrike kills four Palestinians

Four Palestinians firing mortars have been killed in an Israeli airstrike.

The Israeli Army confirmed the airstrike without giving details.

The dead were from a small Hamas-allied group known as the Popular Resistance Committees.

A spokesman for the group calling himself Abu Attaya said the four were firing mortars into Israel when they were killed.

The army said Palestinians launched two rockets earlier in the day into Israel. No one was hurt.

More than a week of violence has rocked a five-month-old truce due to expire next month.

Israel is keeping its crossings into Gaza shut because of the ongoing rocket fire.

That has barred badly needed goods and fuel from entering the impoverished territory.

Army spokesman Peter Lerner said officials would decide later today whether to reopen them.