Several Israeli artillery shells fell not far from the convoy of Terji-Roehd Larsen, the United Nations' envoy, as he left northern Gaza Strip for Israel on Tuesday night, witnesses and security sources said.

The artillery shells were fired as Larsen was passing through Erez Crossing on the border between northern Gaza Strip and Israel following his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas, who arrived in Gaza on Tuesday afternoon, met with Larsen to discuss the current Israeli offensive in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon.

Eyewitnesses said that as soon as the artillery shells landed near Sallah Aldeen road that links Gaza City with northern Gaza Strip, Larsen, his UN escort and Palestinian guards rushed to the crossing in panic.

Larsen and his convoy managed to reach the Israeli side of the crossing without being hurt, sources said.

The Israeli artillery bombarded the northern Gaza Strip throughout Tuesday in response to rocket attacks on nearby Israeli neighborhood by Palestinian militants.