Shooting at Israeli bus in occupied West Bank kills boy
International Desk
A gunman killed a 12-year-old boy and wounded three others when he opened fire Wednesday on an Israeli bus in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military and medics reported.
The shooting at around 11:30 pm (2130 GMT) happened south of Jerusalem, near Bethlehem at the so-called tunnels checkpoint.
"After intensive resuscitation attempts, the medical team pronounced the boy dead, who was evacuated in critical condition from the attack," said Hadassah hospital, located west of Jerusalem.
Israel's emergency medical service Magen David Adom had earlier said its medics had treated four people including the 12-year-old.
The bus had departed from Beitar Ilit settlement, its city hall said in a statement, specifying that the boy was travelling home to Jerusalem with his family.
The military said: "Israeli security forces are pursuing the terrorist, setting up roadblocks and encircling the area of Bethlehem".
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
Violence in the West Bank has soared since the war in Gaza erupted on October 7 last year after Hamas's attack on Israel.
Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 790 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, according to the Ramallah-based health ministry.
Palestinian attacks on Israelis have also killed at least 24 people in the West Bank in the same period, according to Israeli official figures.
