Police are today continuing their search for a gunman who killed two people and wounded around a dozen at a gay support centre in Tel Aviv.

The victims were Nir Katz, 26, the gay centre's counsellor and Liz Trubeshi, 16, who meeting at the centre in Nachmani street.

The gunman, dressed all in black, entered the centre and opened fire at random before fleeing into nearby streets. Some reports say he had a handgun, others an automatic weapon.

It sparked a city-wide security lockdown reminiscent of the Palestinian attacks that used to plague the city. But police insisted the shooting was criminal rather than nationalistic.

Nitzan Horowitz, Israel's only openly gay MP, said it had all the symptoms of a "hate crime".

He said: "This is the worst attack ever against the gay community in Israel. This act was a blind attack against innocent youths, and I expect the authorities to exercise all means in apprehending the shooter."

Opposition leader Tzipi Livni said: "The difficult event should awaken society to rid itself from prejudice. We must accept and recognise the right of every person to live safely and with respect."

Thousands marched in the streets hours after the attack amid calls for tolerance.

Covers on all the Sunday papers featured photos of the bloodstained floors of the youth club with headlines including 'Massacre of the Proud Youth'.

In London, members of "Gay Jews In London" Facebook group organised a solidarity rally in Soho Square to support the protesters in Israel. More than 50 people attended the vigil which included prayers and a speech by Rabbi Hillel Althias Robles, from Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue.