At least five Israelis killed in suicide blast
A suicide bomber blew himself up in a line of people waiting to enter a shopping centre in the northern Israeli town of Netanya, killing at least five people and wounding 35 others.
Ami Klein, a lawyer who witnessed the explosion from a nearby courthouse, told Israel Radio that the attacker reached the entrance to the mall but wasn’t able to enter.
“The boom shook the entire courthouse,” Klein said.
The Islamic Jihad group claimed responsibility for the bombing, identifying the attacker as Lutfi Amin Abu Salem, from the village of Kafr Rai, located between the towns of Jenin and Tulkarem.
Earlier, the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades had also claimed responsibility.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas condemned the bombing, saying the Palestinian Authority would “not go easy on whoever is found to be responsible for this operation”.
