RAMALLAH
Gunfire and an explosion were heard at a Palestinian house sieged by Israeli troops in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, eyewitness said.
The witnesses said that a large number of Israeli troops sieged the house of Al-Qawasmi family in eastern Hebron, while military helicopters hovered overhead.
Moments later, an explosion was heard as the Israeli troops tried to storm the house.
The Israeli troops also opened fire on the house and prevented ambulances from reaching the site, the eyewitnesses said. The Israeli forces also fired into the air to drive journalists away.
Israeli troops cordoned off Hebron as part of search efforts for three teenage Jewish settlers who went missing late Thursday in the southern West Bank.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government "knows for a fact" that the Gaza-based Hamas movement kidnapped the trio.
Hamas, for its part, ridiculed Netanyahu's accusations, saying his statements are "stupid and intelligence-driven." No Palestinian group has claimed responsibility for the alleged kidnapping thus far.
Israeli forces also detained at least 113 people, including dozens of Hamas former ministers and lawmakers, during pre-dawn raids on their West Bank homes.
By Qais Abu Samra
www.aa.com.tr/en
