Gaza militants say halting current round of rocket fire

Gaza militants halted rocket fire at Israel at noon on Thursday after a deadly flare-up of violence that had again raised fears of a full-blown war between the two sides, Palestinian officials said.

A member of the joint command of militant factions in Gaza said all groups had "stopped around 12 noon all the operations, shooting and rockets, which were a response to the Israeli aggression. They consider this round of escalation over." A source with Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas confirmed the move.

There was no immediate reaction from Israel.

The rocket fire which began late Wednesday appeared to be in response to an Israeli strike which killed two members of Hamas's military wing on Tuesday.

Israel says some 180 rockets and mortars were fired at its territory.

In response Israel struck more than 150 Hamas sites in Gaza overnight, killing three people, including a one-year-old baby.

At least seven Israelis were hurt by the Gaza rocket fire and residents near the border rushed to get to bomb shelters.