GAZA, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility Friday for an armed attack that killed at least 12 Israelis and wounded as many as 30 others in a West Bank settlement.
Ramadan Shallah, secretary-general of Islamic Jihad (Holy War), told the Arab news network Al Jazeera that his organization's militants organized the attack of gunfire and grenades in Keryat Arba, an Israeli settlement in Hebron.
Palestinian journalists in Hebron confirmed they received anonymous phone calls, which said that the Islamic Jihad armed wing known as Saraya Al Quds was responsible.
Israeli officials said the incident began at 7:30 p.m. local time when worshippers who finished Sabbath eve prayers at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron walked home to neighboring Kiryat Arba. Orthodox Jews do not travel on the Sabbath and that's why they were walking.
Military sources said that some 500 meters from the Tomb they were attacked from a building. The attack included sniper fire, light arms fire and hand grenades.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service told United Press International they evacuated 11 wounded, one in critical condition and three with serious wounds. The evacuation was very difficult because of continuing gunfire, an ambulance service spokesman said.
Ambulances also came under fire, military and Magen David Adom ambulance service reported. "They were trapped there," a military source said.
Medical sources in Hebron also said about 10 Palestinians were injured in the neighborhood of Abu Sneineh after Israeli soldiers opened fire there, believing the militants came from the area.
Palestinian residents said Israeli attack helicopters flew over the area and fired missiles at several houses, while Israeli tanks and soldiers shot tank shells and rifles on the ground.
Islamic Jihad's Shallah said on Al Jazeera television that the militants had originally planned to carry out a suicide bombing attack, revenge for the killing last week of the commander of the organization in Jenin, Eyad Swalha.
"We congratulate our people for the successful attack. According to reports we received from the ground is that our militants found it easy to open intensive fire at the convoy of soldiers and settlers instead of carrying out a suicide attack," said Shallah.
The situation is potentially explosive, according to observers in the area. Settlers are among the most militant Israelis, and the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is more hawkish since its coalition with the Labor Party dissolved two weeks ago.
(With reporting from Joshua Brilliant in Tel Aviv)
