Israeli forces search for suspected shooter after attack

Israeli security forces are searching for a suspected gunman in connection with the killing of an 18-year-old Israeli soldier at a checkpoint in occupied East Jerusalem.

The Israeli military on Sunday identified the soldier as 18-year-old Noa Lazar. It added that three other soldiers were wounded, one seriously.

Saturday’s shooting at the checkpoint at the Palestinian refugee camp of Shuafat in occupied East Jerusalem came after Israeli forces killed four Palestinian teenagers in the last 24 hours amid near-daily Israeli raids in Palestinian territories.

More than 114 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the beginning of the year in the occupied West Bank in the deadliest violence in seven years.

The United Nations on Saturday warned that “mounting violence” in the occupied Palestinian territory was “fuelling a climate of fear, hatred and anger”.

Israeli police said the alleged gunman was driven to the checkpoint by an accomplice. He got out of the car, opened fire and ran into the camp as the driver sped away.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid said on Sunday his “heart was broken” by her death.

“We won’t rest until bringing the despicable murderers to justice,” Lapid said before Israeli Jews were set to mark the Sukkot holiday.

Police cordoned off the area near the checkpoint and officers remained at the entrance and exit of occupied East Jerusalem. Three Palestinians in their 20s from East Jerusalem were arrested on suspicion of “involvement in the attack”, police said.

Ongoing raids

The attack comes after two Palestinian teenagers were shot dead on Saturday in an operation by Israeli forces in Jenin, the flashpoint northern city in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian health ministry announced the killing of “two citizens by occupation (Israeli) bullets in Jenin”, as Israeli troops carried out an arrest there. Eleven others were also wounded. Those killed were named by the Palestinian health ministry as Ahmad Daraghmeh, 16, and Mahmoud as-Sous, 18.

Israeli forces have been conducting raids, killing Palestinians, in the northern West Bank, mainly in Jenin and Nablus, where Palestinian armed resistance is becoming more organised and new groups of fighters have been formed.

Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead in May while covering an Israeli raid in Jenin.

At least 20 Palestinian minors have been killed in the West Bank this year, according to United Nations data.

Rights groups accuse Israeli forces of using excessive force in their dealings with the Palestinians, particularly young men, without being held accountable.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem in a 1967 Middle East War – a move not recognised by the international community. Palestinians seek these territories for a future state.

US-brokered peace talks aimed at establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, collapsed in 2014 and show no sign of revival.