Israeli soldiers are seen near the scene where a shooting attack occurred in the Jordan Valley, on April 7, 2023. Two Israeli women were killed and another was seriously wounded in a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning, Israeli authorities said amid a major escalation in the region. Israel's military said that fire was opened from a Palestinian vehicle at an Israeli car at the Hamra Junction, a crossroad in the Jordan Valley. The perpetrator fled the scene, triggering a widespread manhunt. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
JERUSALEM, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Two Israeli women were killed and another was seriously wounded in a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning, Israeli authorities said amid a major escalation in the region.
Israel's military said that fire was opened from a Palestinian vehicle at an Israeli car at the Hamra Junction, a crossroad in the Jordan Valley. The perpetrator fled the scene, triggering a widespread manhunt.
Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency medical organization, said in a statement that three people were wounded by gunshots with two in their 20s dead at the scene and another in her 40s hospitalized by helicopter.
This incident was the latest in a major surge of violence in the region.
Overnight, Israel's Air Force launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon.
Israel said that the attacks were a retaliation for dozens of rockets fired at Israel by militants in Lebanon and Gaza. It alleged Hamas, a Palestinian armed group and movement that runs Gaza, was behind the fire from Lebanon.
The latest escalation, which came during a sensitive holiday time as Muslims were observing the holy month of Ramadan with prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Jews were commemorating the Passover holiday, was triggered by Israeli raid of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Muslim's third holiest site, for two consecutive days. ■
Israeli soldiers are seen near the scene where a shooting attack occurred in the Jordan Valley, on April 7, 2023. Two Israeli women were killed and another was seriously wounded in a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning, Israeli authorities said amid a major escalation in the region. Israel's military said that fire was opened from a Palestinian vehicle at an Israeli car at the Hamra Junction, a crossroad in the Jordan Valley. The perpetrator fled the scene, triggering a widespread manhunt. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
