A suicide bomber has killed an Israeli woman in the town of Dimona in southern Israel, police say.
A suicide bomber has killed an Israeli woman in the town of Dimona in southern Israel, police say.
They say at least 10 people were injured in the attack.
They say at least 10 people were injured in the attack.
Israel has been on alert for possible militant attacks after thousands of Palestinians poured out of the Gaza Strip when its border was breached.
Israel has been on alert for possible militant attacks after thousands of Palestinians poured out of the Gaza Strip when its border was breached.
The border between Gaza and Egypt has now been resealed, nearly two weeks after it was blown up by Palestinian militants who control the strip.
The border between Gaza and Egypt has now been resealed, nearly two weeks after it was blown up by Palestinian militants who control the strip.
Monday's explosion happened in a commercial centre a few kilometres from the Dimona base which houses Israel's top-secret nuclear reactor.
Monday's explosion happened in a commercial centre a few kilometres from the Dimona base which houses Israel's top-secret nuclear reactor.
Police officials said there appeared to have been two attackers, although only one managed to detonate his explosives belt.
Police officials said there appeared to have been two attackers, although only one managed to detonate his explosives belt.
"We heard a large explosion and people started to run. I saw pieces of flesh flying in the air," a witness told army radio.
"We heard a large explosion and people started to run. I saw pieces of flesh flying in the air," a witness told army radio.
Rare attack
Rare attack
Analysts said towns in the Negev desert, where Dimona is located, would be the most vulnerable if Palestinian attackers entered Israel from Egypt through the open border across the Sinai desert.
Analysts said towns in the Negev desert, where Dimona is located, would be the most vulnerable if Palestinian attackers entered Israel from Egypt through the open border across the Sinai desert.
A spokesman for Gaza's de facto rulers, Hamas, said he did not know whether his group was involved in the attack, but it was "justified by the crimes" of Israel.
A spokesman for Gaza's de facto rulers, Hamas, said he did not know whether his group was involved in the attack, but it was "justified by the crimes" of Israel.
He also rejected suggestions that the bombing would hurt Hamas' chances of reopening the border with Egypt.
He also rejected suggestions that the bombing would hurt Hamas' chances of reopening the border with Egypt.
Israel was pummelled by series of suicide bombings in the 1990s and 2000s, peaking after the Palestinian intifada or uprising broke out in 2000. However, there were only two such attacks between April 2006 and now, the last being in January 2007 when a bomber blew himself up in a bakery in Eilat, killing three people.
Israel was pummelled by series of suicide bombings in the 1990s and 2000s, peaking after the Palestinian intifada or uprising broke out in 2000. However, there were only two such attacks between April 2006 and now, the last being in January 2007 when a bomber blew himself up in a bakery in Eilat, killing three people.
Monday's blast is also the first since renewed efforts to come to an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal were launched with US support last November.
Monday's blast is also the first since renewed efforts to come to an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal were launched with US support last November.
Israel argues that its blockade of about 4m Palestinians in Gaza and large parts of the occupied West Bank is necessary to prevent such attacks.
Israel argues that its blockade of about 4m Palestinians in Gaza and large parts of the occupied West Bank is necessary to prevent such attacks.
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