An Israeli civilian has been shot dead by Palestinians in the West Bank, north of Jerusalem. It is believed the man was shot in the head in his car when Palestinian gunmen overtook him in their vehicle.
The attack followed an Israeli army pull out of positions in the Gaza Strip after a joint security meeting between the sides in hopes to achieve a ceasefire, after a sharp escalation of violence in the region.
Earlier today, a Palestinian man was shot dead in a West Bank supermarket after he reportedly tried to detonate an explosive device strapped to his body.
Israeli radio said that a customer in the supermarket shot the man dead after the explosives failed to go off properly. A woman was slightly injured. The supermarket was located in a Jewish settlement near Bethlehem.
In a separate development, Palestinian leaders have dismissed a speech by Ariel Sharon, saying that it offered no hope of peace. In a televised address last night, the Israeli Prime Minister said that buffer zones would be created on Israel's borders with the Palestinian controlled territories.
Mr Sharon reiterated his determination to fight on until what he called the "infrastructure of terrorism" was destroyed.
