Israel keeps Gaza crossings closed for second day

Jerusalem: Israel kept border crossings with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip closed for a second day on Thursday, calling the move a response to Tuesday's Palestinian rocket attack that breached an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire.

On Tuesday, Islamic Jihad militants fired several rockets into southern Israel, breaching a now week-old Gaza truce in what they called retaliation for the Israeli army's killing of one of their commanders in the occupied West Bank.

The ceasefire deal does not cover the West Bank.

Israeli military liaison official Peter Lerner told Reuters on Thursday the crossings will remain closed until further notice.

"It depends on the assessment of the situation following Tuesday's rocket attack," Lerner said.