Israel raids Palestinian news agency in hunt for gunmen

Jerusalem, Dec 11 (AP) Israeli military forces carried out a series of raids in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday, bursting into stores and offices of the official Palestinian news agency in a manhunt for gunmen who shot seven Israelis outside a Jewish settlement.

Workers at the Wafa news agency said the troops confiscated security camera footage from their offices as part of the raid, and detained employees in the office for a half an hour.

The agency shared images on Twitter showing Israeli forces in their Ramallah offices. The military announced earlier Monday that it had commenced "extensive searches" in villages near the settlement of Ofra — the site of the attack. The army had no comment on the raid at the Wafa agency.

In Sunday night's attack, shots were fired from a Palestinian vehicle at a bus stop outside the settlement. Security camera footage from the scene showed a car speeding away after the shooting.

A 21-year-old Israeli woman who was pregnant and her baby, who was prematurely delivered by cesarean section after the attack, both remained hospitalised in critical condition on Monday.

Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops across the city of Ramallah as security forces scoured the area for the suspected gunmen. Medics said six Palestinians were wounded.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Sunday's attack "monstrous" and accused the Palestinian Authority of inciting violence against Israelis. He predicted that Israel would find the suspects.

"We will deal with them to the fullest extent of the law and settle accounts with them," he said.

Israeli forces are usually quick to nab suspected Palestinian assailants. But Israel is still trying to catch the suspect in a deadly shooting that killed two Israelis in a West Bank industrial park on Oct. 7. (AP) IND

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