The aftermath of a Gaza rocket attack on Israel. Photo: IDF.

JNS.org – A 37-year-old Israeli man was killed Tuesday after being hit by mortar fire from Gaza, marking the first fatality for the Jewish state since Operation Protective Edge began. The man was struck near the Erez border crossing and later died from his wounds, according to reports.

Meanwhile, two Bedouin girls, ages 11 and 13, were seriously wounded from a rocket strike near the city of Beersheba. The girls are being treated at Beersheba’s Soroka Medical Center. An 81-year-old man in Beersheba and a 7-year-old boy in Ashdod were also injured in rocket attacks. In the Eshkol region, an Israeli soldier was lightly wounded by mortar fire, Israel Hayom reported.

Israel is continuing to endure rocket barrages launched from Gaza after the collapse of the cease-fire deal brokered by Egypt. Although Israel had halted all airstrikes for six hours after the 9 a.m. onset of the cease-fire on Tuesday, Hamas did not stop launching rockets. The Israel Defense Forces then resumed its air campaign against Hamas by hitting more than 30 targets in Gaza.