Honor the cease-fire, Hamas leader says

JERUSALEM, June 27 (UPI) -- All Palestinians should honor the Israeli-Hamas cease-fire in Gaza, a senior Hamas leader said Friday hours after mortar rounds were fired.

Ismail Haniyeh, a former prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority, called for calm in Gaza, saying the cease-fire was accepted so the Israeli blockade against Gaza would be lifted, Ynetnews.com reported.

"The factions and the people accepted the lull in order to secure two interests -- an end to aggression and the lifting of the siege," he said after Friday prayers. "Therefore, we hope that everyone honors this national agreement."

Meanwhile, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon urged Israel to reconsider the cease-fire in the wake of rocket fire breaching the lull, reported KUNA, the Kuwait News Agency. He said the attacks would continue if Israel did not respond.

Earlier Friday, two mortar shells were fired at Israel from northern Gaza. Officials reported no injuries.

On Thursday, a Qassam rocket fired from the Gaza Strip exploded near a gas station in Sderot's industrial zone. The The Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah's military wing, claimed responsibility.

A Hamas spokesman called the action "unpatriotic."

One Israeli official said if Hamas wanted to end the attacks, "they would stop them. Hamas has previously proven its total control over the Gaza Strip."