Palestinian family seriously injured after gunmen attack in Jenin

A Palestinian family comprised of a grandmother, her son and grandson were seriously wounded after they were attacked by a group of gunmen south of Jenin in the West Bank.

According to a police spokesman Louay Arzikat, the 50-year-old woman, her 27-year-old son and 3-year-old grandson were shot by the unknown assailants at the Arraba roundabout south of Jenin. The woman, who was shot in the chest, is seriously injured while her son and grandson moderately so.

Neither the identity of the gunmen nor their motivation for the shooting has been confirmed.

Arzikat added that an investigation has been opened into the incident, including a forensic examination of the scene and the seizure of the vehicle used by the perpetrators.

The assailants' vehicle had a yellow number plate indicating it belongs to either an Israeli or a Palestinian living inside the state of Israel, or was stolen from such a person.

Arzikat added that the area had been cordoned off and a number of checkpoints have been erected in pursuit of the assailants. He said they were driving the vehicle illegally and were involved in a road accident before the shooting.

He appealed to the public for witnesses or any information that could narrow the hunt for the attackers.