Up to five people are feared dead after a shooting in the northern Israeli city of Hadera this morning. It is understood Israeli police shot two assailants after they opened fire on a crowd from a car and shot over a dozen people near Hadera's central bus station.
One victim was proclaimed dead at the scene as ambulances rushed some of the thirteen injured to hospital.
Two of those critically wounded in the shooting later died in hospital.
Earlier, an Israeli soldier was killed in a drive-by shooting near the border with the West Bank. The Israeli government then cancelled a planned meeting with the Palestinian Authority over the Israeli military withdrawal from the West Bank towns of Bethlehem and Beit Jala which was cancelled yesterday.
At least 678 Palestinians and 178 Israelis have been killed since a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation erupted in September 2000 after peace negotiations deadlocked.
( Agencies)