West Bank attack: Three Israelis stabbed to death amid day of violent clashes

Three Israelis have been killed in an attack in the West Bank, Israeli officials have said.

The attack comes at the end of a day of violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Tensions have arisen over new security measures put in place at a holy shrine in Jerusalem.

Israeli media reported that said the three dead were all members of the same family, two men aged 60 and 40 and a woman of 40. The wounded woman, 68, was hospitalised with stab wounds to her back. A still photo carried by Israeli television showed a kitchen floor completely red with blood.

The family had sat down to a traditional Friday evening meal when the attack occurred, according to Israel Radio. The Israeli armysaid the assailant slipped into the settlement under cover of darkness to carry out his attack.

He was identified as a 19-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank village of Khobar near Ramallah. It said he was shot, but his condition was not initially known.

Hours before the knife attack, clashes reportedly left three Palestinians dead. Two were killed by live fire in Jerusalem, while another was killed in clashes in the West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, but did not provide further details.

Hundreds have so far been hurt in East Jerusalem and the West Bank during confrontations between the two sides.

In Jerusalem, two Palestinians, a 17-year-old boy and 24-year-old man were killed by live fire, said Bayan Baidoun from the Mukassed Hospital.

A third Palestinian was killed in clashes in the West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, but did not provide further details.

Local media named the 17-year-old as Muhammad Mahmoud Sharaf, saying he was killed during protests in the Ras al-Amoud district of East Jerusalem.

Both his body and that of the 24-year-old were removed quickly from hospital for burial amid fears they would be seized by Israeli authorities, preventing the swift burials customary both Islam and Judaism.

At least one Israeli police officer was injured as Palestinians hurled rocks and missiles and started fires, and Israeli security forces responded with live fire, rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades.