Israeli woman wounded in Palestinian attack loses baby

A baby who was born prematurely to an Israeli woman wounded in a Palestinian drive-by shooting in the occupied West Bank died in hospital on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Shira Ish-Ran, seven months pregnant, her husband and five others were injured in Sunday’s attack at a bus stop near the Jewish settlement of Ofra. Doctors said she was shot in the abdomen and that her baby boy was delivered by emergency Caesarean section, in critical condition.

The Palestinian gunman was still at large, Israel said.

“My heart, our hearts, are with Shira and Avihai at the death of a four-day-old baby who does not even have a name,” Netanyahu told foreign media and diplomats in a speech. “The security forces are in pursuit of the murderer and I hope that in the very near future we will have news on this matter.”

The West Bank has seen simmering violence over long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.