GAZA CITY, Dec 24: Hamas militants pounded Israel with rocket and mortar fire on Wednesday and vowed more attacks as the Jewish state warned it would hit back, further dimming the chances of a renewed ceasefire.

Gunmen launched more than 70 projectiles, the largest barrage since before an Egyptian-brokered truce went into effect in and around the besieged Palestinian territory in June. The ceasefire expired five days ago.

Hamas vowed to step up its attacks if the Israeli army responded with strikes against the impoverished territory.

Israel “should know that any decision to attack the Gaza Strip will open the gates of hell and we will make you regret your stupidity with tears of blood,” the group’s armed wing said in a statement.

“Israel’s stupidity will push us to expand (operations) and put in our line of fire thousands of new Zionists to defend the Palestinian people,” it said.

Israel in turn warned that it would strike back.

“Our position is clear -- we will answer quiet with quiet,” government spokesman Mark Regev told AFP. “But we will answer terrorist attacks with actions to protect our people.” “Israel has demonstrated up until now enormous restraint despite daily rocket barrages on our civilian populations,” he said, adding that Hamas has “acted deliberately to torpedo the calm and to undermine the understandings reached through Egypt.” The Israeli security cabinet met for five hours on Wednesday to discuss a response to the fire from Gaza, but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert imposed a black-out on the discussions.

Wednesday’s barrage did not cause injuries but sowed panic among Israelis living near the Gaza border less than two months before a snap general election called for February.

Two of the rockets were longer-range Grads, which struck some 13 kilometres (eight miles) north of Gaza, hitting a house and an amusement park in the city of Ashkelon, Israeli and Palestinian officials said.

Grads are not fired often by Gaza militants, who usually launch home-made projectiles dubbed Qassams, which have a shorter range and are less accurate.

The military wing of Hamas said Wednesday’s volley was “to avenge the killing” of three of its members by the Israeli army late on Tuesday.

The army said it had fired at three militants planting explosives near the border fence.

Since the expiry of the Egyptian-mediated truce on Friday, Israel has threatened to launch a major offensive on the Gaza Strip and Hamas warned it would retaliate by resuming suicide attacks inside the Jewish state.—AFP