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Israeli teenager killed, brother and father seriously wounded in West Bank explosion

Funeral of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb takes place in the Israeli town of Lod

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Thousands of mourners gathered in the Israeli town of Lod for the funeral of Rina Shnerb, the teenager killed in a West Bank bomb attack on Friday morning.

The 17-year-old was visiting a popular hiking area with her father and brother when an improvied explosive device blew up.

Her father and brother, named as Rabbi David Eitan, 46, and 21-year-old Dvir, remain in hospital in Jerusalem.

The IDF launched a massive manhunt across the West Bank in response to the attack, which was praised by Hamas in a statement on its website.

Rina Shnerb's sister Tamar told local media: “This is insane, everything that´s happening here. I still can´t believe it

“Only yesterday you were here, joyful as always, you were happy and made everyone happy, as you always do."

The blast occurred on Friday morning at Danny Spring, near the Dolev settlement northwest of Jerusalem.

Israel's military said the bomb detonated while the group were at the natural spring together.

The wounded were evacuated by helicopter to the Hadassah Ein Karem hospital in Jerusalem.

“We are searching for the terrorist responsible for this heinous terror attack,” the IDF said in a tweet on Friday.

Israeli president Reuven Rivlin said it was a “despicable attack against innocent people going about their daily lives in peace”.

Neil Wigan, Britain's ambassador to Israel, said: “I am sad to learn of today’s tragedy near Dolev. Our thoughts are with Rina’s friends and family. We wish her father and brother a safe recovery at this terrible time, and condemn this attack.”

In Britain, Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl said: “We condemn the bomb attack which killed an innocent 17 year-old Israeli and injured other family members. We stand in solidarity with her family and remain firm in our resolve to defeat terrorism wherever it occurs.”

A spokesperson for the UK-based lobby group Yachad said: “At this difficult time, our thoughts are with the Shnerb family and their loved ones.

“This morning’s attack is what the ‘status quo’ in the region looks like. How many more people need to fall victim to this conflict for the leadership to take bold actions for peace?”

Tensions have run high in the region in recent weeks.

Earlier this month there were clashes at the Temple Mount between Palestinians and Israelis, and last week two Palestinians stabbed an Israeli guard near one of the gates to the holy site.

Last week two were hurt in a car-ramming incident at a junction near a West Bank settlement.

Earlier this month an off-duty Israeli soldier was killed near the West Bank city of Hebron.

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