Israeli strike on Gaza kills Islamic Jihad leader

Violence along the Gaza-Israel border escalated on Wednesday, resulting in the death of a commander from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.

The Israeli military said the man, 34-year-old Ismael al-Ismar, was involved in militant activity in Egypt's Sinai region, close to the Israeli border, and had smuggled weapons into Gaza.

Ismar was a leader of al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad organization, in Rafah — close to the Egyptian border. The BBC reported that he was killed when an Israeli missile hit his car.

The Associated Press said that following the attack, militants fired two mortars at Israel, which then responded with a further air strike. There were no reported casualties.

Violence between Israel and militants in Gaza erupted last Thursday when militants crossed into southern Israel and killed eight Israelis. Retaliatory Israeli air strikes on Gaza then killed 15 Palestinians.

(Read more on Global Post: Rockets fired into Israel despite truce)

Despite a ceasefire, announced by Hamas, that began ay 9pm on Sunday, exchanges of fire have continued. Smaller militant groups in Gaza are reportedly responsible for most of the rockets fired at southern Israel.

The Quartet of Middle East peace mediators — the U.N., U.S., E.U. and Russia — has called for restraint.