Man, girl die in exchange of attacks along Gaza border
The burst of violence could hurt Egyptian efforts to broker talks between Israel and Hamas.
JERUSALEM -- An Israeli man at work in a paint factory and an 8-year-old Palestinian girl at play in the Gaza Strip died today in aerial combat between Israel and Hamas, a spike in cross-border violence that could set back Egypt's effort to achieve a truce.
A mortar fired from near the Gaza town of Khan Yunis struck the paint factory on the Nir Oz kibbutz 2½ miles away, killing 51-year-old Amnon Rosenberg in a storage area.
About two hours later, an Israeli jet launched a missile at Hamas militants close to the source of the mortar fire, the army said. It missed the target and killed Ayah Najar as she played outside her home, according to Palestinian medical workers.
The Israeli-Gazan border had been relatively quiet in recent weeks as Egyptian mediators passed messages back and forth. But the peace initiative had begun to stall, and today's bloodshed indicated that Israel and Hamas are running out of patience.
Hamas issued a statement claiming responsibility for firing three mortar shells in answer to "nonstop aggression against our people." The fatal 120-millimeter round left three other workers wounded at the factory in southern Israel.
Israeli government spokesman David Baker said Hamas "will be held accountable" for the attack. Israeli defense officials are to discuss a response with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday after his return from a visit to Washington.
boudreaux@latimes.com
