Gaza's Hamas rulers denied Tuesday what they called "Israeli claims" that a rocket was fired into southern Israel.

"No known party has claimed responsibility for firing the rocket and we are still following up on the matter," said Ihab Al- Ghussein, head of Hamas government media office.

Earlier on Tuesday, a militant group claiming ties with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party said it fired the rocket from the Gaza Strip.

The rocket landed in Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon, Israeli media reports said, adding that it caused some damage on a road but did not hurt anybody.

Fahd El-Lil (Night's Leopard) group issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack. The group said it was an offshoot of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades of Fatah.

The statement said the rocket was fired in response to the death of a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail Saturday.