British sisters die in West Bank shooting – as Italian tourist killed in Tel Aviv terror attack
An Italian tourist has been killed and several people injured in a terror attack in Tel Aviv, hours after it was confirmed that two women who died in a West Bank shooting were British.
The attack in the Israeli city happened on Friday night when a car hit four people near the Charles Claure Promenade, police said.
The ambulance service said all the victims were foreign tourists, while Italian authorities said the person who died was one of its citizens.
A police officer was at a petrol station when they “heard a noise and noticed a car upside down, and several people lying on the floor”, said a statement.
Officers approached and “neutralized the driver and killed him” after seeing he was reaching for a weapon.
One person died in the Tel Aviv attack.Pic: AP
Israeli police stand at the scene. Pic: AP
The two British women killed in the West Bank shooting earlier on Friday were sisters – one aged 15 and the other in her 20s, according to local media.
Their mother was seriously injured in the attack near the Hamra settlement, about 30 miles north of Jerusalem, and had to be airlifted to hospital.
It came after Israel launched morning strikes on Lebanon and Gaza in response to rocket attacks on Thursday that it blamed on militant group Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was calling up all border police reserves “to confront the terror attacks”.
Tensions are high in the region following police raids on Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem this week.
Sky News Middle East correspondent Ali Bunkall said it’s believed the British victims of the West Bank attack moved to Israel around 2005.
Pictures from the scene show several cars badly damaged on the side of the road.
Their father was behind in another car when the attack happened, according to Oded Revivi, the mayor of a settlement near Bethlehem where the family lived.
Sky’s correspondent said the targeting of cars with Israeli number plates in the West Bank had become “far more commonplace in the last few weeks”.
The sisters’ father is said to have been travelling behind in another car
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence Minister Yoav Gallant visited the site of the shooting late on Friday.
“It’s just a matter of time, and not much time, until we settle the score,” Mr Netanyahu said.
Road blocks have been set up to try to find the attackers.
No group has claimed responsibility but a Hamas spokesman hailed it as “retaliation for the crimes committed by Israel in the West Bank and the Al Aqsa mosque”.
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Clashes at Al Aqsa mosque
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement: “We are saddened to hear about the deaths of two British-Israeli citizens and the serious injuries sustained by a third individual.
“The UK calls for all parties across the region to de-escalate tensions.”
The clashes at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa compound this week came at the start of the Jewish festival of Passover, which this year crosses over with Ramadan.
The site is extremely sacred to both Muslims and Jews and tensions over access and control often spill over into violence.
Read more:
Why is there tension over Jerusalem holy site?
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Israel planes attack targets in Lebanon and Gaza
Israel’s pre-dawn airstrikes on Friday hit different areas of Gaza, including tunnels and weapons-making sites of Hamas – the group that controls the blockaded coastal strip.
Hamas targets in southern Lebanon were also attacked, according to Israel’s military.
There were no reports of serious injuries but the Palestinian Health Ministry said a children’s hospital in Gaza had been damaged.
Israel’s Iron Dome system intercepted many of the rockets
Israel said its retaliation followed 34 rockets fired from Lebanon on Thursday – one of the heaviest such attacks since its 2006 war with Hezbollah.
Authorities said 25 of the rockets fired at Israel were intercepted by air defences.
Most of those that made it into Israeli territory hit open areas, but a house was hit by shrapnel when one landed in the town of Sderot.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
Read more from Sky News:
Ten Reform councillors quit in protest
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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