The Latest: Israel shoots down rocket fired from Gaza

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territory – The Latest on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (all times local):

9:20 p.m.

The Israeli military says its missile defences intercepted a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel.

The army said in a statement Tuesday that it identified two projectiles fired from the Palestinian enclave. One was intercepted by an Iron Dome missile defence battery.

It was the second incident this week, and rattled the shaky cease-fire brokered by Egypt and the U.N. two weeks ago that ended two days of fighting with Palestinian militants.

Earlier this month, Israel killed a senior Islamic Jihad militant in the Gaza Strip. The militant group launched hundreds of rockets at Israel in response. Israeli retaliatory strikes left at least 34 Palestinians dead, including 16 civilians.

Unofficial cease-fires have led to months of calm between Israel and Hamas, the militant group ruling Gaza.

___

9 a.m.

Israel’s prisons service says an incarcerated Palestinian has died after battling cancer.

In a statement, the service said Sami Abu Diak, 35, was serving three life sentences for murder and attempted murder, among other charges. He died in an Israeli hospital early Tuesday.

The Palestinian Authority and Abu Diak’s family had requested his release to allow him to die at his family’s side but Israeli officials denied the request. The Palestinians also reached out to European countries and the Red Cross to apply pressure on Israel to release him.

Previous deaths of terminally ill Palestinian prisoners have sparked protests and accusations of medical negligence by Israeli authorities.