Ezel Dein al Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Islamic resistance movement Hamas, claimed responsibility Thursday for firing eight mortar shells at the settlement of Nitzir Hazani in southern Gaza.

The brigades said in a leaflet that its militants fired mortar shells at the settlement west of the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, wounding an Israeli.

Israel Radio reported the militants fired 14 mortar shells at the Nitzir Hazani settlement, in what Israeli settlers said was one of the heaviest attacks in the last four years of fighting.

The radio added that one man was wounded and a house was damaged.

Meanwhile, the brigades said in another leaflet that its militants fired two homemade Battar rockets at the settlement of Nisaneet and a crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.

The brigades also claimed responsibility for launching four mortar shells at the settlement of Nisaneet Thursday morning.

The brigades vowed in leaflets to continue resistance against the enemy "till the enemy leaves our blessed lands."