Gaza rocket strike kills Israeli

Israel has retaliated to these attacks in the past

A 70-year-old Israeli woman in the southern village of Yesha has been killed by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, Israeli officials have said.

The rocket scored a direct hit on her house in the small farming community.

She is the second Israeli civilian to be killed by rocket or mortar fire from Gaza in less than a week.

The latest death comes as Egypt is trying to mediate a truce between Israel and Hamas, the militant Palestinian group which controls Gaza.

The head of Egyptian intelligence, Omar Suleiman, has been in Israel for talks with political leaders.

Last month the plans were given the backing of a dozen Palestinian factions including, Hamas - which has controlled Gaza since last year - and the Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas.

Israel said any truce agreement must include the release of a captured Israeli soldier and an end to arms smuggling into Gaza.

The Israeli military launches frequent air strikes or incursions into Gaza in an attempt to stop the frequent rocket fire from the territory into southern Israel.

Mortar fire from Gaza killed an Israeli man on Friday in the kibbutz of Kfar Aza. Three people were wounded.

Israeli air strikes then killed five members of Hamas.

The Gaza Strip has been controlled by Hamas since last June when they ousted their rivals from the Fatah movement.