Gaza projectile fired at southern Israel: army

• The projectile activated an alert "for open areas only," according to the army, while a spokeswoman for the regional council in Shaar Hanegev, next to north-eastern Gaza, said it apparently hit an open field, causing no material damages or casualties.

JERUSALEM: Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a projectile at southern Israel on Saturday, the army said, the latest attack in the wake of the US unveiling its controversial peace plan.

The projectile activated an alert "for open areas only," according to the army, while a spokeswoman for the regional council in Shaar Hanegev, next to north-eastern Gaza, said it apparently hit an open field, causing no material damages or casualties.

Palestinian attacks have increased after US President Donald Trump on January 28 released his vision for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- a plan firmly rejected by the Palestinian leadership in both the West Bank and Gaza.

It would grant Israel a number of its long-held goals, including full control of disputed Jerusalem and a green light to annex all settlements and other parts of the West Bank.

In exchange the Palestinians would be offered a state in the remaining parts of the West Bank and Gaza.

Palestinians in Gaza, an enclave ruled by the Islamist movement Hamas, have launched rockets, mortar shells and balloons rigged with explosives at southern Israel on a near-daily basis since the plan's launch.

In the West Bank, four Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli troops since Wednesday.

An Israeli Arab who opened fire on police near Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem's Old City was shot dead on Thursday.

Over a dozen Israeli soldiers were wounded in a car ramming attack in West Jerusalem on Thursday.

Israel reinforced troops in Jerusalem and the West Bank and around Gaza ahead of the weekend.