Tel Aviv, May 12 (IANS/DPA): A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip has reportedly hit a residential building in the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon.

Three people were injured in the overnight attack on the city about 10 kilometres north of Gaza, according to Israeli media reports on Sunday.

Palestinian Islamist organisation Hamas, which carried out the October 7 terrorist assaults on southern Israeli communities that sparked the devastating war in Gaza, has recently increased its attacks on Israeli towns and villages.

The Israeli Kerem Shalom border crossing was also targeted again on Saturday, according to the Israeli army. Militants fired four missiles at the crossing, which is used to bring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Out of the four missiles, one was intercepted by Israel's missile defence system, while the others hit uninhabited areas.

Israel is preparing for an increase in attacks on its territory as the military penetrates deeper into the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip.

The offensive into the city has been heavily criticised internationally, including by Israel's allies, but the Israeli leadership sees it as necessary to achieve its war aim of completely eliminating Hamas.